The Price of Magic
by OnceUponAShipper
Summary: Emma and Regina have their hands full with five children, even though Henry is grown & married. They work hard to give their family a happy and safe life. But, what happens when their youngest child goes through something none of them can understand? What happens when Faith Swan-Mills realizes she's different in more ways than one?
1. Instincts

When they found out that they were adding another member to their brood, Regina Mills-Swan and Emma Swan-Mills were shocked, to say the least. The news arose in the midst of a crises; Regina had been in a horrific car accident. Somehow, their youngest daughter had survived the trauma, which only gave Regina more strength and courage. After their initial surprise, baby number five was on her way, and the mothers vowed to always protect her, just like their other children.

Faith Grace Swan-Mills came into the world on June sixth, 2022. Although she was the youngest of five kids, she received the same amount of love from her parents that her older siblings did- Regina and Emma made sure of it. In Faith's eyes, contrary to what everyone else believed, she wasn't the fragile baby. If she had to describe herself, the nine year-old would choose "observant" as the perfect adjective. She noticed things about her family that the other members didn't. And, she had the advantage of always being protected, either by Regina, Emma, or by her older brothers and sisters. Unlike other families, Faith was never blamed for missing items around the house or broken picture frames. If anything, she could get away with the most meticulously planned crimes and never get caught.

The older Faith got, the more it was clear she was truly Emma and Regina's daughter. Like the other children, she had a distinct feature from both of her mothers. In Faith's case, she had long, golden curls with streaks of brown here and there, and enchanting, chestnut eyes that hypnotized anyone she met. It wasn't often you'd see that combination, unless you were part of this family. Her smile was all Regina; bright, white teeth and thin lips. But, her chin— now that was Emma's, the small dimple right in the middle.

Although she understood that she led a lucky life, the one thing Faith wanted more than anything was to have her powers just like the rest of the family. Emma, Regina, Dani, and the twins could all use magic, except for her. Her 10th birthday was still another year away, which meant the spell used to bind her magic was still in tact. Day after day, she witnessed Dakota using her powers to clean her room or August using his to conjure food, even though Regina had given them all a lecture on the proper uses of magic. Dani, on the other hand, was considerably more mindful around her youngest sister; she was attuned to reading her siblings, and it was clear Faith was envious of the others. It was almost impossible to ignore the finesse the majority of her family possessed in the practice of the fantastical sport. Of course, she knew she wasn't the only one; Henry was also powerless, though he'd long accepted his individuality.

In her nine years, Faith had watched her family survive the unimaginable. The circumstances of her arrival into the dysfunctional clan had often served as her bedtime story. When the words "miracle baby" slipped through Regina's lips and her husky voice relaxed the girl, Faith was mesmerized. All of the Swan-Mills children had come into existence in their own diverse ways, but the discovery of Faith had the most adventuresome tale.

"You fought hard enough for the both of us," Regina whispered in her daughter's ear one night. Faith buried herself under heavy blankets, the light on her bed stand turned off. The tired child's eyes were already closed at this point, as they always were. And, as she entered the world her mind created, Regina marveled at her daughter's peaceful state. Soon, Faith was asleep, just like every other night. There was no way of knowing this would be the last "normal" evening for her.

* * *

"And baby makes seven," Regina mused as she glided through the door. While she untied her violet bathrobe, Emma sat on their bed with one leg over the other and rubbed apple cinnamon lotion through her fingers. As she aged, she noticed the veins in her hands becoming more prominent- a part of growing older she still had trouble adjusting to. The only things that remained constant were her emerald eyes and her flowing, blonde curls.

"Another day in the Swam-Mills household," Emma sighed, her gaze remained on her graceful wife. After 17 years as a couple, Regina's timeless beauty never ceased to amaze the Savior. She was totally, whole-heartedly in love.

"Mills-Swan," Regina corrected slyly as she slid under the comforter balletically, never fumbling once. The brunette shimmied down through the cotton sheets until her head rested comfortably on Emma's chest, until she could hear her partner's strong heart beat. The overhead light was on its dim setting, and it was almost as though there was as sunset right in their room. Before she was completely asleep, Regina tapped Emma's arm softly. "Don't forget, dear, Maya and Henry have their second ultrasound tomorrow to find out the sex. They're coming for dinner afterwards."

"You think I'd forget about our first grandkid already?" the retired sheriff teased. Emma tilted Regina's head up with her index finger, their lips locked passionately. As she stared down at her regal lover, Emma smirked to herself. "You're definitely gonna be the hottest grandmother in town, Gina. No doubt about it."

Regina elbowed her pretentious wife and exhaled heavily, the gears already switched in her mind. "Emma, do the kids… do you think they're happy?"

"What?"

"Our children, does everything seem all right with them?" Regina couldn't quite place a finger on it, but she had this weird feeling. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either.

Emma shrugged distractedly, the brunette still in her arms. "I dunno. You mean today?"

"More in general," Regina elaborated.

Ms. Swan drew circles on Madam Mayor's shoulder as she contemplated the question. "It's been a crazy year for all of us. I wouldn't blame them for being quiet or anything."

"No, it's not that. They're not quiet, per se. It's more… Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm just overreacting," Regina waved off carelessly, though now, she was awake.

Emma could feel the sudden tension in Regina's neck and knew there was something bothering her. Swiftly, she sat up taller, still with Regina safely in her hold. "If you think something's up, Gina, then I trust you. You always good instincts." The former Queen blinked slowly, now wishing she hadn't said anything. As concerned as she was, she was also exhausted. With her dark, brown hair pulled behind her ears, Regina propped herself against the cushions behind her, her satin nightclothes reflected the lamplight. Emma's eyes followed the small scar above Regina's lip as if it were the focal point of the room; it was clear the prim woman was holding back. "Gina?"

Having no energy to assemble a viable comeback, Regina simply shook her head and kissed Emma once more. "It's nothing, dear. I suppose it's just been a busy week. I'm sure everything is fine." Emma watched her movements hyper vigilantly, but Regina ignored the blonde and laid her head on her pillow.

While her wife was content to drop the subject, Emma was suddenly riddled with anxiety. "Gina, wait. Gina?" She prodded the brunette's shoulder, but it was too late. Regina was sound asleep. With one hand, Emma reached for the remote and turned the light off completely. She tucked tucked herself under the blanket and draped an arm over her comatose partner. "Good night," she whispered. And then, she too was unconscious. Just like that, the Swan-Mills household entered dreamworld.

* * *

**A/N** - Hello, dearies! I know it's been a couple of weeks since my last posting, but I'm back! My CC classes have been keeping me pretty busy. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up the pace again soon. In the meantime, enjoy the first chapter of this new story! There's more to come :-)


	2. Symptoms

The next morning began like they always did: the kids all got up at 7:30— except Faith, she accidentally overslept. As a result, she was a few steps behind everyone else. Once they were all awake, the five of them fought over who got the bathroom first, dressed themselves, grabbed their brown, paper bagged lunches and rushed out the door, followed by Emma. They couldn't be late for the last day of school.

Throughout the day, while the rest of the student and teacher body brimmed with joy, Faith sat quietly at her desk, her heart pounded in her ears. The small-framed child was sweating through her tee-shirt, which was rare in an air-conditioned room. Like the other kids in her class, she was ready for vacation; however, unlike the other kids in her class, she couldn't look less happy about it. Her bangs were drenched and her cheeks were pink. She was, to say the least, uncomfortable. And, while she wanted to go home, the headstrong youth was determined to finish the year of with everyone else. She wasn't going to miss it for the world.

* * *

At exactly 3:30, the bell of Storybrooke's only school rang through the grounds and hoards of elated students rushed out of the front doors, ready for summer vacation. Due to the construction after the earthquake and fire, the school had to run over by two weeks. At long last, the kids were free.

Dani, the twins, and a tight-lipped Faith hopped into the family sedan with Emma at the wheel and drove down the street with their windows open, cheering wildly. Faith pushed aside her discomfort and joined her siblings in their jubilance. Emma was so focused on the road, she hadn't noticed her daughter's glossed over eyes. Neither did Dani or the twins, for that matter.

Sometime after five o'clock, the oldest son knocked on the front door, accompanied by the new, oldest daughter; his shiny sheriff's badge still clipped onto his belt loop. The traditional haze that hung in the air during early evening brought an onslaught of pesky mosquitos, which Henry tried desperately to shield his expectant wife from. Thankfully, they didn't have to wait on the front porch for very long.

"Hey Ma," the grown man greeted his mother. He shut the door promptly after stepping inside, one hand on Maya's back protectively. Henry took a single whiff of the house and closed his eyes dreamily, "Something smells good."

"Whaddu expect when your mom cooks?" Emma jested. She hugged her son as if she hadn't just seen him 24 hours before; it was a tradition in their family. Emma took several steps toward Maya and cupped her cheeks; she could tell they were starting to fill out. "You're probably tired of hearing this, but you're totally glowing," she gushed. Maya turned pink at the compliment and placed a hand over her barely-visible bump; two things she was still getting used to. At four and a half months, she was just beginning to show. Her usually slim form now protruded somewhat in the middle. It was only when she wore sun dresses like the yellow one she had on, could someone see that she was with child.

"Hello, dears," Regina waltzed into the main room with an apron tied loosely around her waist, her hair pinned up behind her head. One look at Maya, and the mayor gasped. "You're glowing!" she exclaimed adoringly, already reaching for her daughter-in-law and then Henry. "Did everything go well?" she asked with great concern.

Maya and Henry exchanged a look of first time parents, one that said everything and nothing at the same time. "It went great," Maya said coyly." Not wanting to reveal anything just yet, she turned to her little brothers and sisters. "You guys look excited. Fun last day?" Maya had to miss school due to her doctor's appointment, something both she and her students had been disappointed about.

Before Dani or the twins could answer, Faith came stumbling down the stairs. She'd almost made it to the bottom when she tripped on her own feet. Luckily, Henry caught her just in time. "Whoa there, sis. Take it easy," he soothed as he set her down. When he touched the top of her head, he felt the alarming heat of her small body and knelt down until they were eye-level. "You ok?" he asked in a whisper.

Faith nodded slowly, "I'm good." She knew the rest of the family was staring at her, and she tried her hardest to shove the fever aside. "Really, I'm ok," she tried to convince them. Silently, she begged with her brother not to tell their parents, which Henry understood.

"Ma? Can we eat now?" August whined, the first to break the awkward silence. Without missing a beat, the teenager's stomach growled ferociously and stifled giggles spread through the room.

Emma put a hand on August's shoulder. "Yeah, Kid, we can eat. Take everyone out back to the table. We're right behind ya." August assumed the lead and guided the rest of his siblings through the house and into the backyard, Regina brought up the rear. Faith started to walk away as well, when Emma stopped her. With their matching blonde hair, Faith was almost a carbon copy of her mom- except for her eyes. "All right, baby girl, what's up?" Emma questioned softly.

Faith nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other and fidgeted with her hands. She could feel the beads of sweat threatening to bleed through her green tee-shirt and feared Emma would notice. "Nothing," she mumbled. Her head hung so low, she spoke into her chest.

"Uh oh, you know the rule about lying, Faith," Emma warned gently. In her years of motherhood, especially to teenagers, she found her "super power" to come in handy more often than not. "Did something happen at school?" Faith shook her head and her golden locks swayed with her. "Did something happen at home?"Again, her daughter denied a proper answer. Emma glance down the hall and could see the family through the back door. Regina was keeping an eye on them. In that moment, Regina's jumbled worry from the night before crept into Emma's mind. "Ok, baby girl. How about this: after dinner, you, mom, and me talk for a minute, hmkay? That sound good?" This time, Faith nodded. "Good." Emma kissed the little girl's forehead and suddenly took note of her daughter's high temperature. But, Faith had already darted outside before Emma could say anything.

"So, do you know what you're having?" Dani asked passionately. Faith had just taken her seat in-between Dakota and August, and Emma with Regina. Maya and Henry sat close together, their hands clasped in each other's. Dinner had been served around the rectangular table, but no one was eating yet. They were too anxious to hear the news.

Maya's frizzy hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, her small, stud earrings reflected what was left of the sun. With her sandals off, she buried her toes in the cool grass beneath the table and readied herself for their big announcement. She tightened her grip on Henry's hand and the two of them nodded to each other. "It's a girl!" she squealed in delight. "We're having a girl!"

It didn't take more than a nanosecond for congratulatory hugs to be exchanged and joyous cheers to fill the air. It took Faith a little longer than the rest to make her way towards the couple, but nonetheless she made it. Her arms felt like dead weight at her sides, and her vision blurred for a quick moment. She almost lost her balance again, but Faith grabbed onto the table just in time. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around her oldest brother and his wife and returned to her seat; her ears red from embarrassment.

"She's perfectly healthy," Henry informed the clan, his brown hair flew to the side with the cool breeze. "Perfect size, perfect weight," he raved.

"Is she perfect?" Emma raised an eyebrow as she passed the salad bowl to her left.

"Do you have any names already picked out?" Dani inquired innocently.

Henry ignored his mother's mocking nature and answered his sister. "Sorta, but it's still really early."

"Of course," Regina agreed. "We didn't have names for you two," she pointed to the twins, "until around the seventh month." In a split second, she was back on the couch with Emma flipping through baby name books. "You just wait until you're ready," she encouraged the couple, having returned to reality.

Maya nodded as she helped herself to a healthy serving of lasagna. "We had been thinking of boy names, since this one was convinced we were having a son," she elbowed her husband. "But, I had a feeling it was a girl."

"You knew I was a girl, right?" Dani turned to her parents. They still hadn't told her the truth about their dreams, and in a way, the mothers were beginning to forget they'd even happened.

"Yep, and I knew Henry was going to be a boy," Emma smirked. "He kicked way too much."

"What about us?" Dakota wanted to know. The kids were acting as though they hadn't heard these stories before, but no one minded. Family tales were what made them smile the most.

"With you guys, we had no clue," the blonde chuckled. "We already had August's name picked out regardless of gender. But, then you," she looked straight at Dakota, "came out of hiding and surprised us all. 'August' and 'Dakota' were our top two names."

"I like August. I think it fits me," the young man thought out loud, his jaw jutted forward, to which scattered laughter erupted. "And David is cool, too. Just like Granpda."

Dani listened to her siblings discuss their names, when she jumped back in the conversation. "How come I don't have a middle name?"

Faith was barely hanging on by a thread while the family engaged in active dialogue. She felt as though it were all just a dream; she was half expecting to wake up at any moment. Her eyes evan began to droop at one point.

"What's that, Kid?" Emma called over the long distance between her and Dani.

"Everyone else has a middle name. I don't," the teenager rephrased.

Maya responded quicker than Emma could. "I don't have one either," she empathized.

"Neither do I," Emma realized.

As her hand caressed her bulge, Maya shrugged. "She might not have one. Yeah, Henry and I talked about it. Whatever name she has, it'll be hyphenated Mills-Swan. We thought a middle name might be too much."

"We've got hypotenused last names," Faith murmured from her spot after summoning the energy to do so; everyone else overlooked her fumble. The poor girl could hardly hold her own silverware. "We still have middle ones."

"Faith, honey, it's up to Henry and Maya what name they give their daughter," Regina reminded politely. The longer she looked at her child, however, the more she noticed the fatigue that was crushing down on Faith.

Regina whispered something in Emma's ear when Faith dropped her fork and knife onto her plate, an abrupt clattering shook the table. "May I be excused?" she requested in a small voice, her hands balled into fists on her lap. The sickly preteen thrust her arms out in front of her and used all of her strength to push herself into a standing position. She was vaguely aware of her name being shouted behind her, but her legs were already dragging her body towards the door; it was as though her feet were cased in cement, she moved so slowly.

Faith heard footsteps advancing on her and soon, Dani's arm was around her shoulders. In the blink of an eye, the two sisters had transported from the doorway to Faith's room; a thin, emerald haze dissipated from around them. Carefully, Dani laid her baby sister onto her bed and she was just about to summon a thermometer when Regina flew into the room. Dani stepped back, created space for their mother as the brunette sat on the edge of Faith's mattress. "Sweetie?" She pressed the back of her hand against Faith's cheeks and recoiled at the burning sensation. "Honey, it's mommy, can you look at me?" Regina combed the hair out of Faith's eyes and brushed her chin tenderly. When she didn't respond immediately, Regina pat Dani's leg. "Daniela, go get your mom." The 14 year-old followed orders as if they'd been given by a commanding officer. She was only called by her full name in serious situations.

"Mommy?" Faith gurgled through dry lips. She tried to look at the woman hovering above her, but her eye lids refused to comply. Regina's hand on her face felt like ice- cold and foreign.

"Shh, it's ok. I'm right here," Regina cooed. "Can you tell me where it hurts?" she asked, in hopes of finding something she could heal with magic. But it was no use. Faith was already unconscious.

"Gina?"

"In here!" Regina held onto Faith tiny hand as Emma stomped up the stairs; the entire second floor rattled under Emma's footsteps. "Something's not right!" Regina hissed over her shoulder the moment Emma walked in. "We've got to get her to Whale!"

* * *

Henry and Maya watched after Dani and the twins, while Regina and Emma drove Faith to the hospital. Regina sat in the back with their daughter, whom they'd wrapped in several blankets like a burrito, no matter that it was 80 degrees outside. Every few seconds, Regina rechecked Faith's temperature, but it never went down; she remained hotter than the sun. The two women had survived many flu seasons with their offspring, but this was something else.

When Emma pulled up to the emergency room, she wasted no time and jumping out of the car and scooping her little girl into her arms. Regina stormed through the halls, a mother on a mission. The three of them searched the fluorescent-lit corridors, ignored the pungent odor of bleach, and overlooked the objections of other medical personnel. They didn't stop until they found Whale in the break room. They'd caught him in mid-bite of his lunch. The moment he saw Faith in Emma's arms, he sprung into doctor mode.

Whale nearly kicked his chair over as he strode towards the power couple. Emma relinquished her daughter to him, though not completely without hesitation. He said nothing as he took off for the children's ward, the parents followed on his heels. "How long has she been like this?" he asked as they rushed through the halls, his white lab coat flowing behind him.

"Uh, I- I dunno. She felt warm a little while ago, but- but she only got worse before we left," Emma sputtered, her mind occupied by a thousand different thoughts.

The hurried quartet curved around a corner and continued onward until Whale took a sharp left. "I need some help in here!" he hollered at the front desk. Another few feet, and they'd arrived in a dark, butterfly-painted room. Three nurses came shuffling in, all in baby blue scrubs. Emma and Regina had no choice but to watch helplessly from the corner. "Get in IV in!" Whale commanded. He took out the flashlight pen from his chest pocket, pulled Faith's eyelids apart, and shined it in them. She didn't even flinch.

"IV? Is she sick?" Regina urged, tears already beginning to form. She fought against Emma's embrace, because all she wanted was to be at Faith's side. "Whale!" she stomped her high heel on the tiled floor. The blonde worked hard to comfort her wife, when truthfully, she wanted to do the same thing.

"Someone get them out!" the gruff-voiced physician instructed. "NOW!"

A man in white, latex gloves, and sandy, blonde hair escorted Emma and Regina to the family waiting room not 10 feet away. "She'll be ok," he assured robotically before returning to his team. Neither one of the parents wished to sit idly by, not knowing. In their eyes, they'd brought in their sick daughter, the flu maybe. And now- now their baby had several medical practitioners flitting around her.

Finally, Whale emerged and met the two women after what felt like days of waiting. He tried his best to hide his own concern, though it proved to be a difficult task. "What's going on?" Emma questioned in her sheriff's voice, her hands on her hips and her legs spread shoulder width apart. The time for pleasantries had long passed.

Whale made the mistake of waiting one second too long to answer the mothers and Regina shoved past the man in the white coat, straight for Faith's room. The youngest child of their brood was already connected to tubes and wires, that were connected to other extraneous machines in Regina's opinion. "Faith?" her mother squeezed her limp hand.

"Can you heal her?" Emma inquired, echoing Regina's own thoughts from earlier. She stood behind her dark-haired wife, frightened for the little girl. Just a day ago, Faith was running after her brother and sisters in the backyard, her bright smile melting the hearts of the two women.

"There is nothing to heal," Whale concluded. "Physically, she's in perfect health. This is neither an injury nor the influenza, from what I can tell."

"Then what the hell is it?!" Emma challenged fiercely. Her daughter was laying in a hospital bed, there was clearly something wrong.

"There are still tests we need to conduct, but as of now-"

"You have no idea, do you? You've got no goddamn idea?!"

Whale narrowed his eyes at the blonde woman, somewhat mortified she read him so easily. Nevertheless, he conducted himself in a professional manner. "Faith isn't presenting with any normal symptoms. Her fever and heavy sleep state are the only ones we could detect, but they're not conclusive. Her airway is clear, her pressures are just as they should be." In a subtle movement, Whale checked the time. The man stuck his hands in his coat pocket and noted the wary expressions of the parents. "I wouldn't panic just yet. Whatever it is, we're a fully stocked hospital with all the necessary equipment. And, I'm not completely ruling out the flu-"

"In June?" Emma retorted.

"Germs can spread whenever, Emma," Whale replied calmly. "Try not to work yourselves up, all right? Faith will be fine, I can promise you that. If you're ok with it, I'm going to admit her into the hospital for overnight observation. And if everything looks good in the morning, she'll be out of here in no time."

When Whale was out of ear shot, Regina grunted to Emma, "Close the door."

The Savior spun around so fast, her own hair blinded her. She knew exactly what Regina was going to do, she had her "Mayor Voice" on. "What? Gina, you heard Whale-"

"Yes, and I disagree. Magic can fix anything," Regina reasoned. "It worked with us." She didn't have to mention when, as it was all too fresh in Emma's memory.

"Yeah, and all magic has a price, you know that."

Regina snapped her head up at Emma and glared at her, fire flared in her eyes. "So what do you propose we do? Let our daughter suffer?"

"No! That's not—"

"Then let me do this!" the brunette insisted boldly, never taking her gaze off of Faith. "If it doesn't work, then I will gladly take Whale's advice, but I have to try, Emma," she appealed. As she looked down at Faith, Regina wished she could switch places with the girl. The Queen would do anything to take away her Princess's pain, no matter what. Her heart couldn't take the site of her frail child.

Regina could have sworn that an eternity had passed before Emma conceded. "Fine. Once. You try once, and then we listen to Whale."

That was all the agreement Regina needed before holding her hands over Faith's weak body. Soon, purple light spread through her fingertips and wrapped itself around the poorly nine year-old like a cocoon. After Faith was completely encased in magic, Regina closed her eyes and focused on making her daughter better. It should have worked, too. But alas, her efforts were for not. When Regina let go the and purple light vanished, when the magic had failed to do her bidding, Faith never stirred. There was no difference.

* * *

That night, Regina took the first watch while Emma drove home and resumed order of their rambunctious household. Henry and Maya had offered to stay the night if she wanted to go back, but the appreciative mother declined. She thanked them for babysitting, and worked to assuage the other kids' concerns. Dani and the twins begged to visit Faith, but Emma assured them she was ok. She told them exactly what Whale had said, no secrets and no lies. She also made them promise they wouldn't teleport there. It wasn't easy, but at some point, the other Swan-Mills children relaxed enough for the evening. All four of them piled onto Emma and Regina's bed and comforted each other.

With Emma at home, Regina hadn't moved from her spot beside Faith. Whale and several different nurses took turns checking on the patient with nothing but kindness. When the first nurse, Jennifer, took Faith's blood pressure, she made sure her hands weren't too hot or too cold. Faith showed no signs of comprehension, but that made no difference. The staff had been given strict orders from Whale to treat Faith as if she were royalty; not all of them understood the irony.

Regina fought the exhaustion for as long as possible, but eventually, it won the gruesome battle. She thought if she told Faith her favorite bedtime story, that she'd be able to trudge on through the lethargy. Regina ended it as she always did, "You're our little miracle baby." After a long, hard week, her eyes closed slowly, the room turned dark, and her mind drifted away. In an odd way, the beeping heart monitor served as Regina's lullaby, just knowing Faith's heart was doing well. She fell asleep with her hand in Faith's and she wouldn't have it any other way.

As Faith entered deeper into the world of her unconscious, her mind created the most fantastical allusion. It was night outside, cold, empty, and serene. She could hear crickets chirping in the bushes and frogs croaking behind the might trees. Tiny dots that represented stars lit up the sky and Faith was sure she witnessed one shooting across the black-purple atmosphere. Everything was so calm, so quiet.

Almost as if a jolt of lightning had surged through her system, Faith had taken of running faster than she had ever gone before. Something was different about this time. She felt her legs carry her through the dirt, through the shrubs, further than she could keep track. When she looked down at the ground beneath her, she was closer than she had previously remembered being. And there was something about her feet— they looked different; they were covered in fur, and there were four of them.

The harder her paws pushed off of the earth, the longer her strides. Twigs snapped under her weight, leaves that got in her way were crushed. She couldn't exactly see where she was going, but that didn't matter; she could hear it and she could smell it. She let her nose be her guide as she journeyed through uncharted territory.

For the first time in a long time, Faith felt free. It wasn't as though she'd been chained in a jail cell, but there was something liberating about being alone in the forest. She did how she pleased, she went where she wanted. There was no one telling her to slow down, and there was no one trying to protective her every second. She just was.

After charging through the desolate woods for however long, Faith came to a stop by the beach and refreshed her pallet. She leaned down and observed the stars' reflections in the water, the way they rippled with the minuscule tides. In a stealth movement, she tossed her head back and stared up at the sky. The tiny balls of fire were magnificent and sent a slight shiver down Faith's spine. And the moon, boy was it incredible; its bright smile beat down on the land below it, perfectly round. Faith took a moment to soak in the scenery, almost as if to meditate. A full moon was always gorgeous.

* * *

**A/N** - Hey there! Well, I said I'd try and update in a timely manner, so here I am :-) Thanks for the kind reviews so far! I'm gonna be honest, based off of the incredible feedback/follows/favorites of my last story (The Queen's Savior), I was a little nervous people would be disappointed with this one. So far, so good, eh? Haha, anyway, thanks again! I hope Faith will be ok ;-)


	3. Mad World

When Regina woke up the next morning, it took a few moments for her to regain full awareness. Her body was stiff from the cheap chair they'd given her, her back was sore and her neck had a crick in it. Rays of sun tried to sneak through the blinds and landed at the foot of Faith's bed.

Regina gradually came back to life and reached for her daughter. "Faith?" Her letters were slurred as though she'd been drinking.

She planted her feet on the tiled floor and stood up, her back cracked as she bent backwards. Without her heels, the brunette stepped closer to the thin hospital mattress and fumbled for the little girl. Her eyes shot open instantly the second she didn't feel her daughter laying next to her. Faith was gone.

* * *

Less than 20 minutes after it was announced, the entire town of Storybrooke was looking for Faith Swan-Mills. Everyone, storeowners, construction workers, teachers, and the hospital were on red alert. Under the orders of Henry and David, the sheriff and the deputy, they were to call the second they located Faith.

On any other rainy day like this, with depressing gray clouds and heavy drops of precipitation, most folks would have stayed indoors where it was dry. But, this wasn't any other rainy day. No, the Queen and the Savior's daughter was missing, and it was up to them to find her.

Emma and Regina split off into two groups; the blonde with Dani, and the brunette with Dakota and August. They didn't know where they were going, all they knew was that they had to get to Faith fast. Whatever had been wrong with her the day before could have gotten worse.

As Regina and the twins jogged through the streets, their shoes slammed against the concrete. They passed by other concerned citizens who offered their services. "She couldn't have gotten far," Regina panted. "Please, look anywhere," she begged. With that, she and her children were off again, straight down Main Street. The mature 12 year-olds were a few meters ahead of Regina, their hair bounced on top of their heads with every step they took. Lightning struck from above them, immediately followed by angry roars of thunder. The rain fell harder until it splattered over the puddles it created, mud splashed over the twins' jeans and Regina's stockings. Neither of them slowed down or stopped, though, as they continued onward.

"Faith!" Dakota and August summoned together, their hands cupped around their mouths. She swerved to the right, and he veered to the left as they called for their baby sister. The only answer they got was their own voices echoing through the ginormous trees.

Regina kept running down the road, her heart beating out of her chest. "She couldn't have gone far," she reminded herself. _She knows not to go to the border. _"Faith!" she wailed at the top of her lungs, her voice cracked at the high-pitched tones. But, nothing happened. Faith didn't respond. She didn't even hear her own echo.

* * *

Emma and Dani darted through the neighborhood side-by-side, barely gasping for air. The two healthy women ran for almost a mile before skidding to a stop in front of their house. With the sky still sobbing upon them, Dani teleported in and out in less then a minute. "She's not here," she shook her head, her hands on her knees. "Ma?" Emma was turning in circles, exploring the hidden compartments of her mind for a solution. Everyone in town was looking for Faith- everyone. There hadn't been a stone unturned or a tree uprooted, they'd searched everywhere. "Ma?" Dani tried again with more force.

Emma ran a shaky hand through her soaking hair and squinted through the monstrous rain drops. She swiveled her body until she was facing the direction of town again and bounced on her heels. In a moment of desperation, Emma closed her eyes and concentrated on Faith- what she looked like, the sound of her voice, the curve of her smile. And then, as if she'd been slapped in the face, her eyes shot open. "Follow me!" The blonde woman took off in a mad dash through the grass and Dani was right behind her. She had no idea where her mother was taking them, but she didn't question her.

As they reentered Main Street, residents of Storybrooke stared sympathetically at the frenzied duo and shook their head in pity. The one percent of people who weren't helping said nothing as Emma and Dani raced through the streets.

Dani felt as though her knees were going to give out at any moment if they didn't stop soon. She was quickly regretting her suggestion to search on foot; she couldn't even remember her reasoning. Her clothes were sopping wet and her teeth were chattering, no matter her attempts to mask it. Her worry mixed with the burning in her muscles subsided briefly when Emma held the door open to Granny's Inn, the bell above the frame chimed merrily. Still in silence, Emma trampled up the stairs and made a beeline for the second door on the right.

Before Emma could slam on the wooden barrier, it swung open and Red came tiptoeing out with her hands up in surrender. "Emma, wait-"

Emma did not, however, wait. She pushed right past her best friend and forced her way into the room. Faith was there, sleeping soundly on the bed, tucked under the magenta sheets. The relieved mother fell to her knees and brushed her baby's hair. Dani sat on the other side and gently moved her sister into her arms, never caring that she herself was drenched.

Very slowly and very quietly, Emma rose to her feet, ready to swing at Red. Something stopped her, though. There was a small armchair in the corner of the room, hand stitched with big, brass buttons on the seams. But there was something on it, a pink hand towel draped over one of the arms. Right in the middle, there was a dark stain shaped in a jagged circle. Emma had seen enough cuts and scrapes to know what that was. "Red," she started in a tentative voice. "Who's blood is that?"

* * *

After they'd found Faith, Emma had called Regina and Henry. The search party was over. The Savior returned home with both of her daughters, safe and sound, along with Red. It took all of her willpower not to strangle the woman she'd believed to be her friend. The woman started to explain at the Inn, but Emma didn't want to hear it. Not yet. She wanted to wait until the family was together— the entire family.

When Regina saw Faith in Emma's arms, she immediately reached for the child, hugged her close to her chest, and planted kisses all over Faith's face. Her fever was gone and the color in her cheeks had been restored to their previous rosy-red. As fas as Regina could tell, Faith was unharmed.

A half an passed in the household before everyone got there, and before Faith woke up. It was a tense 30 minutes, to say the least. Every single member of the the Swan-Mills/Charming family squished together in the living room, their mouths closed and their minds open. Whatever Red had to tell them, it couldn't have been good.

As soon as Faith showed signs of awareness, the meeting began. "Red, I love you, but right now I wanna punch you in the face. What the hell is going on?!" Emma barked, blatant rage sparked in her emerald orbs.

"Was she there the whole time?" Regina asked, Faith in the seat beside her.

"Why didn't you call us?!"

"When did she get there?!"

"What happened?!"

Everyone was shouting at the same time, way too loud for sensitive wolf ears. Red waited for the voices to fade before starting, and it took long enough. Once the parents had time to simmer, the woman with a single streak of crimson in her dusky hair braced herself. She uncovered the towel from her coat pocket and tossed it onto the middle table. "I don't know who to answer first, 'cause I don't know who yelled first, so you're gonna get what you're gonna get. The blood isn't mine or Faith's. It belongs to a deer back in the woods. Second, yeah, Faith was with me this morning. I didn't know how to tell you-"

"Tell us what?" Regina interrupted briskly. A small voice in her head already had her suspicions, though she didn't want to hear them. Looking down at her precious daughter, that was the last thing she wanted to believe.

Red chewed on her bottom lip as she thought of the best way to break it to them. In all honesty, she didn't know what she was doing. She never had to do this before, and she definitely hadn't expected to know.

"Godammit Red!" Emma snarled. "We hauled our asses all over town looking for her and she was right there with you! For love of Christ—"

"Faith's a werewolf!" Red blurted with less tact than she'd meant. Not a second later, she gave herself a good, mental chastisement for her poor admission. Ms. Lucas wrung her hands behind her back as everyone's jaws hit the floor. Out of the entire group, the only person Red made eye-contact with was Faith, who was speechless.

"I beg your pardon?" the mayor probed ambiguously. Her famous vein bugled out of her forehead, and Red worried it was about to explode. Or worse, Regina was going to cast another curse on her. "What did you just say?"

Red inhaled slowly and counted to five, "Faith's a-"

"Don't," Emma warned dangerously. "Don't even think about it."

"It's true-"

"That's not possible," Regina choked out, her grasp on Faith tightened. "She- she can't be a… a-"

Painstakingly bewildered, Faith slid off of the couch and stood on her own two feet. Hot adrenaline pumped through her veins, her vision was crystal clear, and she never felt stronger. "Mom? What's wrong?" she asked cautiously. She'd heard what Red had expressed, but that couldn't be true. She was a witch, not a werewolf. Plus, wouldn't she know? Wouldn't she be able to tell? When she saw the blank expression on Regina's face, Faith turned to her other mother. "Ma?" But, Emma wore the same mask.

"Emma, Regina, you guys are smart. You know it's possible. And, you," Red looked directly at the Savior, "know if I'm lying or not."

Emma's worrisome pacing distressed an already rattled Regina; she tugged on her wife's hand, a silent signal to cut it out. Wordlessly, the blonde sat on the couch like a robot, but her leg bounced up and down, up an down. Dani, Dakota, and August were crammed together on the arm chair, their heart beats irregular. "Red, please. What happened?" Regina's hardened glower had softened into an agonizing plea.

"Ask Faith," said Red. She walked over to Faith until she was right in front of her; she delicately took her hand and kneeled down, though not as low as she had to mere days before. "It's ok. Don't be scared." She could feel the young person trembling, her bottom lip quivered in fright.

"Faith, sweetie," Red soothed. A thousand needles pierced her chest and for a moment, she felt as if she'd just had the wind knocked out of her. "Can you tell us what you remember?" She pat the middle spot between her and Emma, but Faith didn't budge. She'd much rather stand, it easier to for her to follow everything. Not only did she seem stronger, she looked older, as well; it seemed as though Faith aged at least two years. She was an inch taller, her baby fat was gone from her cheeks, and the dimple in her chin was more pronounced. All Regina could do was purse her lips and wrestle with the overwhelming surge of grief.

When Faith didn't say anything, too scared top open her mouth, Red intervened once more. "What did you dream about last night?" Having experienced it firsthand, she knew how it went; the feeling of disconnect between her body and her imaginative mind, the uncertainty that accompanied the ordeal. "How about this," she started, "close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think about where you were, ok? Are you there?" Faith nodded solemnly. She'd never been more deliberate with anything in her whole life. "Great, what do you see?"

"Trees," Faith whispered evenly. Even in hushed tones, the change in her voice was undeniable. She was maturing right in front of their very eyes. Faith was starting to sound like Emma.

"Good, good. What else?" Red pressed tenderly. She figured if she could guide Faith through the previous night, the rest of the family would get a better grasp of the concept. And, it was also beneficial to Faith: if she could accurately recognize where she'd been, the chances of her controlling her inner wolf were higher.

Faith's thin eyebrows scrunched together and her nose wrinkled as she focused her newfound energy on her adventure. "Stars… They're really bright. There's so many of them, hundreds. Some are… twinkling, like the song." A small piece of Regina's heart shattered as she listened to her youngest daughter's deepening inflections.

"Keep going," Red encouraged. "Use the rest of your senses, ok? Smell, sound, taste, touch…"

"Holiday… it smells like Christmas."

"Pine trees. She's in the forest," Regina sucked in a breath.

"I hear the water; it's… quiet. There's no one there, it's all alone. The tides are rolling in, but not very high," Faith mumbled, now fully immersed in memory. It was hard to overlook how complex her sentence structures had become in just hours. "My mouth's dry, like I'd been playing tag again."

"You're doing awesome, Faith. Now, try one more thing. Do you see your reflection? What does it look like?"

As she dove deeper into the crevices of her dream, Faith was hanging above the moving water, her gaze transfixed on the luminous, white moon. It was as though she had no control over her movements or her thoughts. She felt her neck lower until she locked eyes with that of another; severe, green spheres bore into her soul. Suddenly, Faith started backing away and pawing at her face. A harsh vibrating ripped through her vocal chords and escaped through her lips. An ear-splitting, gut-wrenching cry slashed the air and the innocent youth was paralyzed.

And then, Faith felt familiar hands grab a hold of her shoulders. The world around her began to fade away, until nothing was left except her own howling. "Faith! Hey, it's ok! You're ok!" Emma assuaged through her own consternation. "Shh, baby girl, everything's all right!" She wrapped Faith in a strong bear hug, the only way to placate the petrified pre-teen.

Dani and the twins watched on in horror, astonished at the revelation; Johanna stepped closer to her parents. Henry, Maya, Snow, and Charming all stood powerless- the irony of the situation never occurred to the adults. None of them had seen any of the kids in such a terrified state.

It took both Regina and Emma together to get Faith to settle down, who was winded from her strenuous cries. The two of them noted the way she was able to regulate her breathing on her own, as if she didn't need either of her parents. She did a mental sweep of the room and absorbed the various reactions from the rest of her family, her own mortification blurred the images. After she stopped shaking, she swallowed hard and turned to Red. "It wasn't a dream… was it?" Little did she know, she was flourishing in more ways than one.

Red shook her head regretfully, wisps of hair fell over her eyes. "No, it wasn't."

"Someone wanna fill us in?" David requested coldly. His arms were folded across his chest to enforce his authority, and his wife and young child kept him grounded. Had it just been him and Red, he wasn't so sure he'd have been able to maintain his equilibrium.

"Kids," Emma addressed the other three offspring. "Can you give us a minute?"

"No," Dani asserted bravely, her teenage edge never more apparent.

"Daniela-"

"We're staying, Ma. We're not leaving Faith," the eldest of the Swan-Mills upheld. She met Emma's harsh glare with one of her own until she won the contest. Faith gawked at her brother and sisters incredulously. Their commitment to her only increased her shame.

"Fine," the blonde woman exhaled bitterly. "I guess we're having a family meeting. Red," she grunted, "what else happened? When did you find Faith?"

"Last night when I first heard her," Red relayed with ease. "I knew it wasn't Jonathan, and it definitely wasn't anyone from the Pack. In wolf form, I could hear Faith's thoughts. She didn't know it was real, she honestly thought it was imaginary." Red paused for a second and chuckled at the picture that had formed in her head. "She was fast, almost faster than me. For a pup, that's impressive." Some of the adults cringed away at the word "pup." "I kept following her until the sun rose. She reverted back to her normal self and passed out sometime around seven. I took her back to the Inn with me. I was gonna to call you, I swear, but—"

"I understand," Regina said morosely. The new influx of information sank to the bottom of her chest as she realized there was nothing to refute it with. What Red was saying to had be the God's honest truth. She saw it in Faith, in her body language. Regina couldn't come up with any other explanation, not in her current status of shock.

"What about that?" Emma pointed to the bloody towel, apprehensive of the oncoming answer. "Who did it?"

Red plucked the contaminated material and contemplated how to respond. Nothing she came up with was particularly good. So, she took a chance; Red looked dead into Emma's eyes and told a lie. "I did it. Sometimes my wolf instincts take over," Red shrugged casually. "It was me." Not for one second did Emma believe the woman, but she didn't voice her objection. She caught what Red was doing and why.

Regina may not have had her wife's inhuman ability to sense all falsehoods, but she detected this one. In fact, it seemed as though everyone in the room except Faith saw right through the facade Red had created. Faith couldn't know the truth- not yet. It wasn't the right time.

"What does this mean?" Henry piped from the fireplace, finally having found his voice again. His sheriff's badge gleamed spotlessly. However, he wasn't asking as the sheriff. He was asking as a brother, and as a father-to-be. "What do we do now?"

"_You_ don't do anything," Red snorted. In such a tense moment, she was the only one to find the humor in Henry's innocent wondering. "This is _Faith's_ journey."

"Bull," Emma shot at the long-legged woman. "There's always something we can do!" Regina absentmindedly stroked Faith's long hair as the girl resisted the tears that wanted so badly to breakout.

"The only way you can help right now, is to relax. It's not gonna do anyone any good if you're shouting."

"Relax? How the hell do I relax when you tell us our daughter is a goddamn werewolf?! That doesn't even make sense! She wasn't bitten, none of us are werewolves! It's bullshit!" Emma's head started to pound violently the more she worked herself up. On some level, she knew Red was right: yelling didn't make anything better. But, it sure did release some of Emma's indignation.

Although she was getting tired of being Emma's punching bag, Red managed to prevail and stand strong. For Faith, she wouldn't lose her temper. The girl's look of self-loathing in that moment was enough to break Cora's heart, had she kept it. As Emma's spirit lagged, Red addressed the mothers as if she were a concerned teacher. "Listen. There's another month before the next full moon. Until then, I'll work with Faith. I'll show her how to make sense of her growing abilities. She won't be alone with this."

Regina and Emma exchanged a harrowing moment of silence before Regina spoke up again. "We'll talk about it."

Red resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the strained remark and decided it was her cue to leave. She started walking to the front door, towel and all, but ceased her strides abruptly. "There's something you need to know," she informed. She shuffled back to her previous spot so everyone could see and hear her. It wasn't without a heavy heart that Red released the inherited knowledge. "After the first phasing, the transformation is unstoppable and irreversible. _Everything_ is gonna change, not just her senses. Faith looks older, because being a wolf speeds up the aging process. Puberty will happen sooner, her perception and her emotions will develop quicker than you'd expect. She's not immortal or invincible, she's just… got an upper hand. In a few weeks, she'll… well, she'll look like me, and she'll think like an adult, too."

As if they couldn't have been wounded further, the family grappled with Red's disclosure. It was as though they'd all been stabbed with the same sword; nothing felt real anymore. Life as they knew had it changed forever.

* * *

The remainder of the day had been spent recovering from the horrendous morning. Every single member of the family struggled in one way or another to process the events that had unfolded earlier. It's fair to say that they had their hands full.

For Snow and Charming, the hardest part was knowing the anguish their daughter and her family were experiencing. There was nothing they could do to make it better, not the way they'd have liked. Being the Prince and the Princess, they weren't accustomed to being so disabled.

While Henry was normally the voice of reason, this was one case words couldn't fix. Never in a million years had he seen this coming, especially not in Faith, his baby sister. He tried, to no avail, creating distractions for himself. As soon as Red left, Henry followed not long after. He told his mothers and his siblings he loved them, and that he'd seen them later. Maya attempted to persuade Henry to stay, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. And, although he'd seen the self-disgust in Faith's face, he had to leave.

Dani, Dakota, and August all made various efforts to talk to their baby sister, who'd locked herself in her room. They tried using magic to undo the bolts, but they didn't know she'd pushed the bookcase against the door as well. She was one step ahead of them. In the midst of her personal crisis, Faith found slight amusement in their disregard for their teleporting ability. The three teenagers took turns banging on the barrier as any other mundane would. One thing was for sure, they weren't planning on leaving anytime soon, not like their older brother, whom they were all disappointed in.

And, Emma and Regina- they used up two solid hours of discussing their options. They took turns squawking at each other, gesturing animatedly, voicing their own tremendous nightmares. As Dani and the twins perilously worked to pry Faith out of her cage, the parents frantically searched for solutions to their problems. Regina was as clueless as the rest of them as to how and why Faith had become… what she'd become, and the only other person who would have known was gone. Rumplestiltskin, the man with many answers was no longer their go-to source. There was a chance the Blue Fairy might have the key, but it was a long shot. For now, while neither wanted to admit it, there was hardly anything they could do. Magic couldn't help them with this.

* * *

After an afternoon of thinking, daydreaming, and problem-solving in solitude, Faith lurched forward into a sitting position when the door opened. The bookcase returned to its original spot and her parents strolled into her room one after the other; they hadn't seen her in hours. The overhead light was off, and the windows were shut tight. Faith had been laying in a pitch-black cave until the blinding light from the hallway consumed the bubble around her.

Faith could only see her mothers' shadows, but she could smell Emma's cologne, and she could hear Regina's lips pressing together; her senses had never been sharper. To her own amazement, they were the easiest part to adjust to so far.

"Baby girl?" Emma stumbled over her one of her daughters' pairs of shoes, and Faith caught her in the darkness. "Thanks," the woman blundered. She let her daughter guide her to Dakota's bed, where she and Regina sat together. Faith wanted at least some distance between three of them, for their own safety.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it?" Regina questioned delicately. Her voice sounded different to Faith, sharper, more defined. She could pinpoint the distinct pitch each word possessed. "Do you want to talk about it?" The two women were both impressed and dumdfounded at Faith's lack of a tantrum. She'd been so strong all day, they had expected at least some type of fit.

Although her parents couldn't see her, Faith's shoulders rose apathetically. It had been an excruciating, earth-shattering, devastating day. She welcomed the moment it all came to an end and a new morning rose.

"Am… am I dangerous?" Faith finally asked, having asked herself the same question over and over again. She thought back to the feeling of not being in control of her own body and feared what would happen if she never could. If Red still had trouble with her wolf, what did that mean for Faith?

"Of course you're not!" Regina exclaimed without hesitation. The brunette seamlessly transplanted herself from one mattress to the other in one, swift step and pulled Faith into her arms. However, when she made contact with her daughter, she felt Faith stiffen. Regina hated to do it, but she let go of the girl and gave her the space she clearly desired. "You're not dangerous, Faith," she affirmed.

"I… I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You won't," Emma proclaimed. "You heard Red: she's gonna help you figure this out," she said; she and Regina had concluded Red was their only hope in this wild ride. "We all are."

A cynical scoff fled from Faith's mouth before she could catch it. "Yeah, right."

Taken aback by the girl's sarcasm, Emma never strayed from the topic. "We are, I swear. Whatever you need, we're here. None of us are gonna leave you."

"You should," Faith said under her breath. She thought if they had any common sense, they'd stay away from her. At least, until she knew she wouldn't harm anyone.

"You know," Regina began, having missed Faith's remark, "you have time. There's no deadline or due date for any of this. Just because the next full moon is in a month, doesn't mean you have to learn everything by then. You've got the entire summer. And, if you still don't feel ready, you can hold off on school. But, that's something we can deal with if and when the time comes."

Emma nodded hastily. "And you know what else?" she got down on her knees and sat in front of Faith, "You're special, baby girl. You're the only one who can do the things you do. Dani and the twins may have magic, but so do you. You always have. You've just got a different kind of magic, something no one can take away from you." The only way this was going to work out, is if everyone made the best of it, if they saw the positive and not just the negative. Emma made a mental note to talk to Dani and the twins about it as well.

As Faith let the words seep into her cognition, she couldn't help but shy away from her mothers. And, while she was aware that they were only trying to help her, what she craved more than anything was being alone, away from everyone. "Moms, I'm… I'm kinds tired," she grimaced.

Disheartened at their daughter's apparent reproach, the two women respected Faith's underlying request. "Of course you are, dear," Regina empathized. "We'll let you get some sleep."

"Remember, baby girl, we're right across the hall, ok? Call us, knock on the door, blow a whistle, we'll be here," momma bear number two added.

Unable to find anything useful to say, Regina stood over Faith and kissed the top of her head. If she'd had her vices, she or Emma would sleep in Dakota's bed if it meant protecting Faith. There was nothing they wouldn't do to ensure their children's safety.

Emma followed her wife's motions, only she lingered over Faith for a moment. She couldn't hear what her daughter was thinking, nor could she fix it with magic, but she sure as hell wasn't going to give up. If there was anything she and Regina had instilled in their kids, it's that family never gives up on each other.

"Goodnight," the parents whispered in unison. "We love you," her older mother stressed. She could say it a thousand times, and it still wouldn't be enough.

"I love you, too," Faith hummed, her fingers clasped around fistfuls of sheets.

With that, the door closed and she was alone once more; alone with her thoughts and her own breathing. Faith fell backwards onto her pillow, frowned at the ceiling above her, and returned to her reflective element. In less than 12 hours, everything she thought she'd known about herself had been destroyed; her pocket of knowledge detonated by a radioactive torpedo. All that remained were piles of ash and rubble. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing salvageable. For the first time in her life, Faith started to do the one thing her mothers always said never to do... she was starting to lose hope.

* * *

**A/N** - Heya! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I tried making it as "realistic" as possible, like with Regina's reaction to Emma in the hospital. But, "realistic" holds different meanings in fanfiction ;-) It's weird, I went through stories I've published, waaayyy back to the beginning, and I saw a major difference! I'm not saying I'm James Patterson or anything (I'm not that cocky), but I think I've been getting the hang of all of this, slowly improving. It's actually kind of entertaining to see what I started with! I guess I've just been self-conscious about my writing lately... ANYWAY! Thanks for all of the reviews/feedback/follows! And I do mean ALL! Going through previous comments on older fics help tremendously on crappy days! Hang tight with this one, dearies! You're all awesome and I appreciate you so much!


	4. It Begins

It was early the next morning when the sun revealed itself to the world that served as an audience. The timid ball of fire rose over the horizon and tested the waters before making its grand appearance. With it came the usual wake up call from chirping birds, content in their trees. Squirrels chased after one another through the grass and up the house, a game of tag. The storm clouds from the previous day had vanished, and only white pillows of vapor spread over the land. The drizzle of morning dew on the lush, green blades that protruded from the earth put the finishing touches on the portrait of Storybrooke.

The morning was deceitful, however. For, while the outside presented otherwise, the inner walls of the Swan-Mills household were not as harmonious. Any serenity that had occupied the home had been replaced by an aura of discord. No matter how the sun smiled down at them, the family did not reciprocate the feeling.

Emma and Regina had awoken before any of the kids for the first time in years. Dani, Dakota, August and Faith were all still asleep when the two women began puttering around their home. They said nothing to each other as they prepared breakfast, mostly out of fear. If either of them acknowledged what happened the day before, then there was absolutely no going back. The mothers daringly clung to the last amount of normalcy they had left; all they could do was move about the kitchen in a dazed state, completely ignorant to the outside world.

* * *

Sometime around noon, Dani and the twins came into consciousness. The mouth-watering scent of eggs, bacon, and pancakes lured them out of their deep comas, and all three of them traveled down the stairs together, still in their pajamas. They'd made the executive decision to let Faith sleep in until she woke up on her own. Their baby sister needed the rest.

When the trio of siblings shuffled into the kitchen, Emma and Regina had just finished setting the table. Six plates were meticulously placed around the rectangular piece of furniture, just as they always were. Four glasses were poured with homemade apple cider and two mugs were filled with hot tea. The scrambled eggs took up the most space in a glass bowl, while the bacon and pancakes sat in serving dishes on either side. The syrup was out and the silverware was wrapped in napkins. It could have easily passed for another Sunday morning.

As the kids pulled out their chairs, they observed their parents' mannerisms. Emma and Regina walked around the room in a stiff manner, their lips drawn in firm lines, and they never got too close. Ordinarily, the women couldn't keep their hands off of each other, even in front of their children. But now, it seemed as though they couldn't be further apart.

Emma noticed none of the teenagers had started to eat, let alone pick up a plate of food. Dani and the twins all sat quietly, exhaustion written on their faces. "Aren't you hungry?"

August spoke for both of his sisters, "We're waiting for Faith. We always eat together."

For the first time since putting the pan on the stove, Emma and Regina made eye contact. "It's all right, dear," the brunette encouraged. "There'll be plenty more for her when she comes down."

"Yeah, Kid. If you guys are hungry, have at it," the blonde agreed.

"Thanks, but if it's ok, we wanna wait 'til Faith comes down," said Dani. The young woman's determination was something to be desired.

Moments like these always made Emma and Regina proud mothers; they were reminded of just how mature their children were. "Ok," Emma nodded after getting a nod of confirmation from her wife. "Then we'll wait."

* * *

Faith was the last to wake up. In just two days, the young person had physically grown over a year and a half. Red was right; after the first metamorphosis, a new wolf aged faster than everyone else. That was going to be, perhaps, the hardest aspect for the parents to adjust to. The baby of the family would soon be same age as the oldest. No one was ready for the impending maturation.

Not long after her older siblings, Faith rolled out of bed and landed on her feet nimbly. Her eyes were still closed and she let her nose guide her, once more, to the home cooked meal that teased her. Blindly, she lazily dragged her legs down the stairs, her bare skin numb to the air conditioned home. The floorboards creaked with every step she took, but Faith was unbothered by the annoying sound.

When she entered the dining room and joined the rest of her family, Faith squinted through the sun-filled room. Emma and Regina stood behind the counters, while her older siblings all sat around the table. Their plates were empty, but there were several trays of food. Faith paused in the doorway, her tangled hair hung over her face. Even through the clumped strands of her mane, she could see the way everyone else was looking at her; something was wrong. "What?" she implored defensively. There was a crypticness to the way everyone gaped at the girl, and she felt her knees spasm in anticipation. "What's wrong?"

No one knew what to say, or who should say it. The two women looked as if they'd been hit with a stun gun, frozen in their spots. Dani and the twins, however, at least blinked. Once she realized that they'd all been glued to the sight of her baby sister, Dani closed her mouth and her lips spread in a kind smile. "Nothing," she waved off, her acting skills at their best. "Nothing's wrong," she repeated. "You just… look a little different," Dani explained offhandedly. "Come on," she waved to her sister. "Food's getting cold."

Faith wasn't sure what to believe, but she sure as hell didn't buy Dani's flippancy. She had to look more than just "different" to garner such severe expressions. But, just when she wanted to question Dani, Faith's stomached growled in protest; the sudden sound of hunger swept through the room and Dani and Dakota laughed it off. "Yep, you're totally having a growth spurt," Dakota attempted to joke. Unfortunately, no one laughed. "Too soon?" she asked sheepishly, her eyes shifted uncomfortably.

The rest of the family brushed off Dakota's efforts to entertain as Faith took her seat across from Dani. Had a stranger walked in, they would have thought the youngest Swan-Mills child was Daniela's fraternal twin: they came across as the same age.

As soon as Regina and Emma took their places at the ends of the table, the kids began passing around dishes in a clockwise motion. Dani started with the scrambled eggs, which she promptly reheated with a flick of her wrist. Steam rose from the hot plate as she handed it off to her brunette mother. Everyone took at least several helpings the first round.

Within seconds, the kitchen room was filled with forks scraping the bottom of a plate, accompanied by the slurping of juice. The rest of the group tried not to stare too intently on Faith as she guzzled down a second glass of apple cider; they kept their eyes on their own place settings and continued eating as they usually did. And, when Faith asked if anyone else wanted the last three pancakes, they still remained calm. The flapjacks were gone within the blink of an eye.

"You've got your appetite back," Regina observed lightly. It was her turn to smile timidly. "That's good."

Almost as if she hadn't realized, Faith bit her bottom lip when she saw how empty her plate was in comparison to everyone else's full platters. "I'm sorry," she professed, her cheeks blushed.

"Don't apologize, baby girl!" Emma chuckled nervously. "You were hungry."

"Someone had to eat it," Dani winked lovingly before chomping down on a crispy strip of bacon.

"So, Kids, you guys are officially free from all things educational," Emma redirected. "What're plans for today? Pool party? Let your brains go to mush with a movie marathon?"

Heart-warming giggles filled the air and replaced the awkward silence that had previously ensued. "Ma, you know we don't have a pool, right?" Dakota snorted.

"And we haven't had a movie marathon since we were five," August added.

"Yeah, yeah, details. But really, you're all free. You can do whatever you want, as long it's not illegal," the blonde mother sighed.

"Um… can I… go see Red?" Faith chimed in. She'd made her mind up the night before, but she knew her parents would have to discuss it. The two mothers traded mental notes and a few seconds passed between them. "I just," Faith interrupted their telepathic conversation, "wanna get started, you know? I wanna make sure no one gets hurt."

Amazed at their daughter's strong will and hard-thinking, Regina answered for both her and Emma; not without somewhat of a grimace, though she feigned a smile. "I think that's just fine."

The pressure that had encased itself around Faith's heart released and her breathing regulated again; that was one test she passed. "Cool, we'll go with you," August offered, completely unaware of the entitlement he and his other sisters had come to assume.

"No," Faith said hastily. And just like that, the redness returned to her face. She could tell her brother was a bit shaken at her sudden ferocity, as were Dani and Dakota. Their eyebrows were raised and they'd stopped eating. "I- it's not- I just-"

"It's ok," Dani nodded understandingly. She examined her baby sister, a person she was slowly finding unrecognizable. "We'll be here when you get back."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" was the first thing Emma had said to Faith after breakfast. The Savior had accepted the role of chauffeur and drove Faith into town, right up to Granny's Inn. Red was standing outside in shorts that barely covered her knees and a red teeshirt. She waved politely to the edgy newborn and gave a tense nod to Emma.

The mother and daughter had been sitting in the car for several minutes, too reminiscent of the first day of school for them. Regina had packed Faith a lunch in a brown, paper bag just like she did during the school year. Dani and the twins had given Faith calming hugs before she left, as if they'd forgotten she was coming home in just a few hours.

With the windows open, Faith listened to the wind blow by and the leaves rustle on the cement. She could even hear the ants crawling across the ground; their legs tipped and tapped against the solid ground. "Yeah, I wanna do this," she said 43 seconds after Emma had initially asked.

As she peered at the back of her daughter's head, Emma knew there was nothing she could say to change her mind. "Ok," she said through slightly gritted teeth. "You'll call us when you're ready to come home?" Faith nodded to herself as she watched a spider climb along the brick wall. "Faith?" Emma said assertively. When her baby craned her neck around and they locked eyes, Emma pulled the young woman closer and kissed the top of her head. "Don't forget what we said last night: you're not gonna do this alone. And you're not going to hurt anyone. You're safe. You got that?" Again Faith nodded. "No, lemme hear you say it."

"I got it," Faith uttered through barely parted lips.

"Good." Without saying much else, Emma let go of the child that would always be her baby girl.

Faith slid the seatbelt behind her shoulder, opened the car door, and put on foot onto the concrete. She let got of the door and let it shut behind her, the beeping of the ignition rang in her ears as Emma revved the engine.

Red was just several feet away, her arms folded over her chest. Her exposed patches of skin were vulnerable to the sun above, but she didn't seem to mind. As Faith neared her new mentor, Red's eye teeth were bared. "You ready, Kiddo?"

* * *

While Faith began the training process, Emma made a quick pitstop on her way home. With the family car parked right in front of the station, the blonde woman trekked out into the dry heat and instantly pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Even that, however, wasn't enough to relieve the scalding rays of sunshine.

David was at home, like most people on the weekend. After the first half of his weekly break was used having heart palpitations, the former Prince spent his Sunday with his wife and child… which is where someone else should have been as well.

When Emma walked through the unlocked doors, she welcomed the cold air that blew over her. The tiled floor sent shivers up her legs, but that was just fine. It was a nice change from boiling to freezing.

Henry sat, hunched over manila files, the desk light on. There was a pencil behind his ear and an iced coffee in the corner of his table, a ring of water beneath it. Papers were sprawled here and there, whereas David's just was clean as a whistle.

With his head in his hands, Henry flinched when his mother's voice broke through the sound barrier. "You could use a shave," Emma brushed her own clean and smooth chin. "How long you been here?"

The grown man tilted his neck from side to side and showed no emotion as it cracked noisily. His five o'clock shadow served as a distraction as he scratched the side of his face. "Does it matter?" he asked gruffly.

"It does if you're not getting any sleep, which you don't look like you are." Emma hopped onto the top of David's desk, her legs dangled above the spotless floor. She studied Henry's slow blinking, the way his shoulders fell forward inch by inch, his scraggly hair mussed up. "You haven't been home, have you?" Henry's lack of a verbal answer substituted as a nonverbal one. "Talk to Maya?"

"I called her," the sheriff curbed. He had his hands clasped together in his lap, still unaware of the pencil beside his head. "Ma, what're you doing here?" he asked in a rather surly manner.

"I could ask you the same," Emma rebuffed pointedly. "Look, Kid, I get it, we're all freaking out right now. But you can't do this; you can't distance yourself from the rest of us. I know how it goes; a few hours turns into a few days, and a few days turns into a few weeks." Emma, in fact, knew all too well what the consequences were of avoiding conflict, both sides of it. She'd been there with Regina. Henry was an adult now, he had to deal with the same things. The problem was, how to remind him that he wasn't a teenager anymore.

"With all due respect, you don't get it, Ma," Henry shook his head ruefully.

Ordinarily, Emma would have been offended at her son's patronizing remark, but today, she let it slide. "Ok, then. Explain it to me. Tell me what I don't get, 'cause I can guarantee you, it's nothing compared to what Faith's going through."

"Forget it," her son discarded, his eyes closed and his head tossed back; immediate guilt rushed through his system.

"No, come on. Lay it on me," the blonde egged, her hands opened and closed a "come here" motion.

Henry inhaled slowly and deeply, reached for the pencil behind his ear, and chucked it at the cabinets behind Emma. Without hesitation, he presumed to kick over the chair and throw his coffee into the holding cell. Rarely did he ever lose his temper, much less hurt a fly. But this was different. Blinded by the promise he made as a brother, Henry balled his hands into fists and slammed them onto the table. "How are you so calm about this?!" he demanded, spit flew out of his mouth, his eyes wild with fury. "Why aren't you reaching for your gun or kicking someone's ass like you used to?!"

Emma slid off the counter and approached her agitated baby boy, the same one who'd helped her see reason on numerous occasions. "Because it isn't about me or your mom, or the siblings, or you. It's about Faith and what she needs right now. And I can tell you that this, what you're doing, is _not_ what she needs."

"I'm her brother," Henry said, mostly to himself. "I'm supposed to protect her."

"And we're her mothers," Emma related half-heartedly. "But here's the thing, Kid- you're about to a parent yourself, so you'll understand soon- no matter how much you want to shield someone from something like this, you can't. And as much as you want to believe that this is fake, it's not. I'm not saying you're daughter's gonna be a… werewolf, but whatever happens, she needs you to guide her. You can't do that from all the way over here, can you?"

* * *

Faith followed Red with her eyes, the way the older woman was so comfortable in her own skin. Less than 48 hours with the new knowledge, part of Faith wanted to claw her way out of the life she'd unearthed. In all fairness, though, Red'd had decades to adjust to her dual-identity. It was just going to take time for Faith to realize she wasn't an outcast.

"So, whaddu wanna start with?" Red asked as she sat on the foot of her bed. She twirled her highlighted hair nonchalantly, and all that was missing with bubble gum. Faith shrugged from the door, somewhat taken aback at Red's leisurely persona. She wasn't sure what she had expected, but she knew this wasn't it. "There's gotta be something," Red pried. "I bet right now your senses kinda have a mind of their own?"

"I can smell everything," Faith confessed. "And I can hear it."

"That's normal," the teacher smirked. Red let a few moments pass before she stood up. With great care, she stepped towards Faith and put a calming hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you don't need to worry. I've got you." She led the bashful student to the chair in the corner, sat on the opposite side, and leaned forward attentively. "Wanna know something cool? Remember how I said you were a fast wolf?" The blonde girl lifted her chin slightly. "Well, guess what- so are you. Everything your wolf can do, you can do it, too. See, even when there isn't a full moon, you can be fast or strong; you and your wolf are the same. The only difference is, she has fur." Red cracked a smile and soon, Faith was laughing along. "That's the most important part to hold onto Faith; you are _not_ separate from her. You're same on the inside," she pointed to Faith's chest. "As long as you remember that, the rest is easy."

Without thinking, Faith's hand flew over her heart as she felt it pound beneath her finger tips. "We are both." Her grandfather's words echoed through her mind, the thrilling speech he'd given Storybrooke after the curse broke. Every resident knew the story, and those who'd had children of their own had passed down the memory. It was their own, modern-day folktale.

"Exactly," Red beamed. "Now, where do you want to start?"

* * *

When Emma returned home to her wife and children, there was an obvious shift in the environment. Dani and the twins lounged around in the living room, but the television was off. Dani had her headphones in and daydreamed with an expressionlessness in her eyes. Dakota was in the nook, overlooking their quiet street. She watched as the clouds gathered together in front of the sun, almost as if to protect it from something. What they were concealing it from, Dakota didn't know. And, last but not least, August sat in Henry's chair, his hands ran along the stitched arms. When he occupied the seat that once belonged to his older brother, August felt as if he were absorbing Henry's courage. At least, in his mind, it made sense.

Regina had been scrambling in the study, careful not to show her children her panicked body language. There was no need to startle them anymore than they already were. As a mother, it was Regina's job to hide her own fear, or so she thought.

Emma tossed her car keys onto the sofa table and made her way down the hall, the aged wood whined under her shoes. It signaled Regina that someone was coming. "Gina?" Emma poked her head through the door. When she found a listless woman flipping through The Book, the blonde's eyebrows furrowed together in sympathy. "Find anything?"

Regina shook her head without looking up at her partner. "Nothing! A book that chronicles everyone's life and nothing! Not a single hint or page! Gods this is useless!" Regina roared as she tossed The Book onto the floor.

Emma knelt down slightly and retrieved the ancient storybook; the pages were old and stained, the binding was falling apart. What once served as a beacon of hope was now nothing more than a compilation of words. "There's gotta be something," Emma speculated as she thumbed through the thin parchment.

"There's nothing, Emma!" Regina denied exasperatedly. She tossed her arms into the air and started pacing across the floor. "He would know," she muttered deplorably. Regina glared at the empty fireplace, the pile of ashes underneath the burned logs from Christmas. She'd reminded Emma to sweep the soot back in January, but the Savior never did.

Emma set the book down on Regina's desk tactfully and shoved one hand in her front pocket, the other outstretched for her wife. But Regina shrugged away. "We're gonna figure this out," Emma pacified in her leader voice, the same one David used in the Forest. She was fully aware of who Regina was referring to, but she didn't know how to respond the way her partner needed her to. "Gina, I swear, we'll find something."

"She's going to look like Red in a few weeks," Regina grieved. "She's only nine years-old!"

"I know," the woman with hypnotizing emerald eyes sighed.

"What about the kids? How do we know they aren't… aren't-"

"Werewolves?" The brunette clenched her jaw at the word. She couldn't' even say it. "Then we'll figure that out, too," Emma declared. "Regina." She purposefully spun her lover around until they were face to face. "I know you're scared, but we can do this. Faith needs us to do this, ok? Our daughter needs us," Emma reinforced. Her conversation with Henry replayed in her mind over and over again. She felt Regina quaking in her stance and pulled the mayor into her arms. "Everything's gonna be ok."

Emma and Regina were so immersed in their heart-to-heart, neither of them knew Dani and the twins were standing outside of the door, listening. Daniela, with the will of both of her parents, shooed a worried Dakota and August back to the living room, where they stayed for the remainder of the day.

* * *

Instead of Faith calling for her mothers to pick her up, she came home with Red in tow. After an exhilarating afternoon, the older woman offered to walk her one and only pupil back to her family. The sun was still hidden behind the clouds, but the dessert heatwave still battled against the citizens of Storybrooke. What they wouldn't have given for another monsoon.

When Emma opened the front door, she was pleasantly surprised to see her daughter on the front steps, accompanied by an individual she wasn't sure she wanted to talk to. For Faith's sake, however, Emma welcomed the both of them inside where it was cool. It was the least the mother could do in return for Red's assistance.

"How'd it go, baby girl?" Emma bent down slightly with an adoring grin.

Unsure of how much excitement she should let slip, Faith smiled warily. "Good," she answered indifferently.

Regina came waltzing into the main room and picked Faith up, as much as she could. "We missed you, sweetie," she cooed into her daughter's ear. When she set her back down, Regina discreetly searched Faith for any bruises or scraped knees. Unable to locate any, the brunette mother relaxed.

"Faith, can I talk to your moms for a minute?" Red asked the girl respectfully. She made a point not to sound too condescending, as she'd come to learn that Faith could easily detect patronage.

Glancing to her side, Faith saw her siblings waiting for her at the top of the stairs, anxiety written clear across their faces. "Ok. Thanks for today Aunt Red!" she called over her shoulder as she jogged up the staircase. From behind, she was just another benevolent child.

Positive that the kids, and Faith with her heightened hearing, were out of earshot, Red pulled the adults in the kitchen. The three of them sat in a triangle with Red at the head of the table. She inspected the parents' foreboding, daunted postures. Regina was even more assertive-looking than usual, if that was possible.

After a few minutes passed, Rub Lucas broke the nearly impenetrable ice. "I can't imagine what you're going through," she said evenly. "I know it must be difficult to-"

"Red, cut the shit," Emma pleaded without making eye-contact. If there was one thing she absolutely hated, it was fluff and sugar-coating. Emma Swan would rather hear bad news straight up. Instinctively, she grabbed Regina's hand. "What's going on?"

It was clear to Red that she needn't sprinkle the couple with icing. In the years she'd come to know Emma and Regina individually, she recognized their shared desire for sincerity. "Faith is special," she finally said. "You already know that, but I mean, _really_ special. I've never seen someone adapt so quickly. To be fair, I don't know many other wolves, and I haven't taught any of them. But, the few that I did know- the pups- they weren't as level-headed."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Regina posed, the scar above her lip dared the woman across from her.

"I'm not sure," Red confided. "I'm not an expert, but… I think- hell, I'm just gonna go for it. I think Faith can learn to control her wolf by next month. I know that sounds crazy, but I think it's possible. She's tenacious and she's strong." She let several seconds of noiseless processing take place before asking the couple a question. "How old were the other kids when their magic came in?"

"You mean after the spell? Dani and the twins were 10- it happened on their birthdays," said Emma. "Why?" She didn't see what the other children's' powers had to do with Faith's predicament.

"Again, I'm not a specialist… but I think that's why Faith's first phasing was so bad. She told me she felt really sick the other day, that you guys took her to the hospital. The first time is always painful, but I think Faith's magic made it worse."

"I'm not following," Regina said in a tight voice.

Red rummaged through her mind for an eloquent enough answer to grace Regina with. "I think _her_ magic was counteracting the effects of her phasing. It's like, her two selves were fighting it out."

"Her wolf and her witch?" Emma deciphered apprehensively.

"Yeah! That!" Red nodded quickly.

With Red's last two words, the rest of the conversation fizzled out until none of them so much as cleared their throats. Regina and Emma sat in silence as they worked to understand just what next steps needed to be taken. The mothers all but bit their nails as the machines that were their brains fired up.

* * *

Meanwhile, upstairs, the Swan-Mills children huddled together in Faith and Dakota's room. Two of them sat on Faith's bed and the other two sat on Dakota's. It'd been a laid-back gathering. The older kids gave Faith some time before vocalizing their burning inquiries.

"What was it like?" Dakota wanted to know, her legs crossed like a pretzel. There was an air of fantasy that emanated from her, as if she were listening to a bedtime story.

"Which part?" Faith snorted, the first time she'd laughed with her brother and sisters in several days. It was genuine laughter, too; not the forced, fictitious type. For just a brief moment, she felt as if nothing had changed; it was as though the last few days hadn't happened.

"All of it!" Dakota exclaimed. The girl was practically bubbling in her seat. August matched his twin sister's body language, further proving their resemblance. "Were you really that fast?" Dakota probed.

Everyone goggled at Faith expectantly as they waited for a response. The youngest of the four thought purposefully and acted as though she didn't notice three pairs of eyes on her. But, her time with Red was almost indescribable. Even with a growing glossary of words- most of which she adopted from her parents' vocabulary- and an increasing genius, she struggled to do her experience justice. "I thought I was flying," she finally expressed. "I know it's cheesy, but it's true. Everything was just a blur- the trees, the grass. I barely felt the ground, it's like… I was soaring through the forest. There were birds watching in the branches. I swear they were cheering me on," she recalled with a breathy chuckle. "I don't know… it was just… awesome."

August and the girls wowed in unison at their baby sister's depiction. Faith's tale was as magical as all the rest. As they sat there, the group of siblings weren't witches or werewolves, they were just kids. The world of magic was nonexistent, and all that was left was their youthful innocence.

Dakota clambered onto Faith's bed and sat next to her youngest sister. August crawled on from behind effortlessly; the four of them stared out of the window together and admired nature's pure beauty. Bursts of strawberry and orange sorbet extended from the sun and exploded through the late afternoon sky. The clouds had parted just enough to expose the brilliant streams of light. Bullfrogs were croaking and cicadas were buzzing near the house. It didn't take a wolf to hear them.

Dani, Dakota, and August all debated on whether or not to say something, if they should disrupt the peaceful moment. They wanted to remind Faith that they loved her, no matter what. But, in that moment, no words needed to be shared for Faith to feel their affection. She heard it in the way their hearts beat together in time, and she felt it in the warmth of their bodies around her. The only person missing from the picture was Henry. And while she wouldn't say it, the absence of her older brother was one of the few things that was holding her back from completely giving herself to her new life; it was like a rope tied around her ankle that she couldn't sever. Everyone else was providing their support, their endless love, and Faith appreciated them for it- more than she could ever say. Until Henry came forward, though, the baby of the family was holding back. And nothing anyone else did or said could replace the hole left by Henry.

* * *

**A/N** - Hello, dearies! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I haven't forgotten about Red's past, or her what she's famous for ;-) More will be explained soon! And, if you've noticed, we'll see a little bit of everyone's side/perspective in this story. But, it will be mostly Faith. As always, reviews are welcome and appreciated! I love knowing what you're thinking :-)


	5. Strange Relations

Several days in the Swan-Mills home, and by no means was it an easy several days. It seemed as though Faith was getting taller by the minute, when in actuality, she'd grown another three inches total. Her cheeks were toning out, the rest of her baby fat was no longer visible. Her arms were slimmer, and her legs were longer; she didn't fit into any of her old clothes. And, while she tried not to make a fuss out of the changes- yes, she noticed them- the rest of her family couldn't help but react in their own ways. Emma plastered on a smile that never faltered, not once. A couple of times, Regina had excused herself to the upstairs bathroom where she wept in private, without the curious looks from her children. As parents, they knew they had the obligation to keep everything running smoothly, but it proved to be an arduous task.

Dani and the twins maintained their steadfast support of their little sister. Even when Faith was beginning look down upon Daniela, literally, they kept any and all negative comments to themselves. Unfortunately for Faith, she still and yet to gain Henry's validation. Although she had the outpouring love of Dani, Dakota, and August, she still couldn't completely thrive in her new life.

With Faith spending the afternoons with Red, and Regina at city hall, Emma and the kids searched through Gold's shop with Belle. The wizard's widow gladly opened the store to the desperate family, and even leant a hand herself. Together, the five of them scoured the deepest pockets of the meticulously organized structure. Every dust-covered book, every crumpled piece of parchment had to lead to something. Emma and the children practically rearranged Gold's shop in their efforts to uncover the answers they sought.

The rest of the family- the Charmings, Henry, and Maya- were rather distant from the Swan-Mills clan. David and Snow told Emma they'd gladly assist any way they could, but the stubborn blonde graciously refused. She informed her parents there was little they could do in a situation like this- a magical situation. Although they didn't believer her, David and Snow accepted their daughter's veto, for they understood her intentions.

Henry, on the other hand, still hadn't picked up the pieces of his wounded pride. He couldn't bring himself to face Faith with the knowledge of his selfish actions. Maya tried to assure her husband his initial reaction wasn't selfish, but that choosing to stay away was. Henry wouldn't listen, though. He watched on from afar and received new information from his grandfather.

For the most part, everyone was just trying to keep their heads above water. They found that swimming was easy, but treading through the murky trench was the hard part. If there was anyone who was keeping the family glued together, it was Faith, whether she knew it or not. Her mothers and her siblings all fed off of her perseverance, and in turn, they went on with life.

* * *

Faith's sessions with Red were generally quiet. They spoke a little here and there, but it really was a time for training and training only. Faith wanted nothing to get in the way of her honing her talents, and it was all too apparent just how much time she had before the next full moon. If being a wolf meant the possibility of someone getting hurt, even just with a scratch, she wasn't going to take any chances. While she never made mention of it around her, Faith knew about Red and Peter. The outcomes, however unlikely, were nothing short of terrifying for Faith. She was going to do everything in her power to prevent pain- everything.

It was on the fifth day of her training that Faith delved into an actual conversation. It'd been a relatively placid day in the forest; Red had her student run laps around a perimeter she'd marked off with painted tree trunks. The long-legged woman leaned against the body of a sturdy maple, a stopwatch in one hand. In areas with dense shade, she hardly felt the blistering rays from the sun. Between the large maple leaves and the clouds that seemed to be in tune with the women's needs, they were quite comfortable.

For reasons that only Faith truly knew, she'd asked Red for harder drills. It was with an incalculable amount of ease that she could sprint through the wide area of land in the time Red had set, but that's not why Faith was practicing. She wanted to be challenged, to have her stamina tested and improved. She wanted to stretch her limits and step outside of her comfort zone. Red hadn't made any effort to dissuade Faith from a more taxing course, but instead she encouraged it. If Faith felt she was ready, Red didn't see what right she had to stop her.

After running for three miles nonstop, Faith had finally listened to her body and rested on the lumpy ground. The five water bottles that she'd packed were emptied in mere seconds, the plastic containers crinkled when every last drop had been sucked out. Faith had come to learn that it took a lot for her to break a sweat, so she was satisfied when she felt the moisture run down her neck. It meant she'd done what she'd set out to do.

"At this rate, you'll be in full control in no time," Red commended proudly, no doubt in her mind.

Faith gave a small smile of gratitude and allowed for a few moments of stillness to take place. Between Red and herself, it was actually a peaceful afternoon. Faith had been resisting the urge to question her teacher whenever one popped into her head. But, eventually, she realized if she ever wanted answers, she had to ask. "Aunt Red?" she shattered the silence.

"Yeah?" Red glanced down at her disciple, her own waist-length hair distorted her view.

"How did you do it?" was the only way Faith could think of phrase it. Everything she wanted to know had somehow been crammed into that one query.

Red swatted at a bloodthirsty mosquito that hummed around her, taunting her. "Do what?"

"This," Faith edited. She looked up at the woman who potential held the key to her future. "How do you know what to do?" When she saw Red's contorted face, Faith sighed heavily and tried one more time. "It's like you know everything about this- being a… wolf. Who taught you?"

Finally understanding, Red propped herself against the base of a tree, right across from Faith. "Now why would you ask that when you already have The Book?"

"Because," Faith reasoned. "I dunno… I just… I wanna know what you have to say, not a handful of pages."

"Those pages have some truth to them," Red countered swiftly.

"Do you ever miss them? The Pack, I mean," the exercised teenager inquired. She kept her gaze on Red, but it wasn't aggressive or demanding; she was in no rush to hear Red's thoughts.

"Sometimes," said Red, a bit of remorse coated her words. She searched the blonde woman's face and found that there was a wistfulness on the surface. The few beams of light from overhead landed on Faith and highlighted the her youthful morality. It didn't matter if she looked 16 years-old or 20 years-old, there was still a little girl in there. "They showed me what I could really do, how to discipline myself. I'll always be grateful for that."

Faith nodded along to the story. She could see the layer of sorrow that drew a barrier around Red, almost like an aura of gray light. "And your mom?" She noted the way Red's spine erected at the mention of her mother and hastily tried to cover her tracks. "I'm sorry. You- you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Faith stuttered.

Red waved off Faith's embarrassment, "Don't worry about it." After bracing herself for whatever emotions or memories reemerged, Red decided to speak candidly about the woman who'd given her life for the first time in years. "You know, I'm not gonna lie, it helps to have a group of people who understand you. But really, I didn't understand _them_. Their ways, their methods... they weren't what I was looking for. On some level, I think I regretted joining them, you know. 'Cause, in the end, I found acceptance somewhere else, somewhere way more important."

"Where?" Faith was hooked onto everything that spilled from Red; it was almost better than all of the stories in The Book. Something, not quite adrenaline, pumped through her veins and spread from her head to her toes.

The corner of Red's mouth turned upwards gradually as she let Faith in on her secret. "Myself."

* * *

Emma, Dani, Dakota, and August had been poking through Gold's shop for hours. They'd rotated stations from the previous few days in hopes of seeing something someone else missed. Books sat on the front counter, opened, with scribbled handwriting across the pages. Empty potion vials were moved from Gold's office to one of the empty bookshelves, their cork caps scattered on the floor. Swords and knives had been relocated from their bins to the floor behind the cashier, still neatly in their covers. Everything was still there, they'd just found different homes.

Dani and the twins were giving up on ever establishing a feasible piece of information that would explain Faith's wolfiness. Of course, they didn't inform their mother of their diminished hopes, as they knew how important it all was.

Around two o'clock, after purging yet another bookcase, Emma slammed an open palm against the wall. "Are you kidding me?!" she shouted, more to the wall than to anyone in particular. She attempted to push her own anger aside, but in the end, her fury won. In an unstoppable impulse, Emma lifted her foot up and side-kicked the antique cabinet, a large chunk of wood broke off and rattled to the floor. A piercing pain shot through Belle's chest as she came running to the scene of the crime; her husband's possessions were being treated as punching bags. "Shit, Belle," Emma grumbled. "I'm sorry." The blonde woman immediately knelt down and fixed the chipped chest with a simple wave of her hand, a practice that had become almost second nature to her.

"Ma?" Dani and the twins crowded the small space and cornered their mother.

"Take ten," the Savior grunted. She started walking for the front door, "You guys want anything from Granny's?" The children all exchanged a minimal shrug. Emma took that as a no and briskly exited the cursed pawn shop. While she never had a great relationship with Rumplestiltskin, she also never knew just how much she relied on him until now.

When Emma entered Granny's Diner, she was shocked to find it half empty. Normally, there were at least several dozen customers sprinkled around the establishment. Today, however, there were only five people, including Granny herself. Leroy sat at the counter, his usual plaid shirt and vest on. Emma didn't know how he stood to wear such navy layers in the crazy summer heat. Archie and Blue nodded to the blonde woman from a booth in the back, and Emma reciprocated respectfully. And finally, an aging Geppetto occupied a single table without his son. The eery low-level of sound gave Emma goosebumps.

"Iced coffee to go," Emma ordered curtly as she leaned over the barren buffet. "Please," she added once she heard her own brusque manner.

"You got it," the gray-haired woman acknowledged. As Emma waited for her drink, she rested on top of a spinning stool, her legs hovered over the floor by a foot. "Whatcha workin' on?" Granny asked innocently.

"Huh?" Emma responded intelligently.

"Over there," Granny tilted her head in the direction of Gold's Pawn Shop. "You go in all day and come out with long faces, all four of you," she observed.

Emma answered with her head on the cool counter top, almost in a childlike demeanor. "You want the abridged version or the full version?" she muttered dramatically.

"I don't know, I'm pretty busy," Granny snorted as she scanned her tables. "Another five minutes on the coffee." Red's grandmother rounded the opening, lifted herself onto the chair next to Emma, and took her glasses off. In a way, she was everyone's grandmother.

The tired blonde supported the weight of her head on one hand and bit the bullet. "Faith's a… werewolf," she exhaled. If she wasn't mistaken, that sentence alone caused Granny to freeze as if her pause button had been hit. "We don't know how or why. I thought maybe Gold would know… or, what's left of him. The kids are on break and Regina's working, so we've been looking for an answer he might've tucked away or maybe forgot about." As Emma's voice faded out, the machine by the kitchen started spewing steam into the air and dirt-brown coffee bubbled in its container, a ferocious growling radiated from it. Seeing as Granny was a statue, Emma jumped over the high surface, snatched the glass container away from the warmer plate, and set it on top of an oven mitt. "Jesus, Granny! Look alive!"

Almost as though she'd had someone throttle her, Granny shook back to reality. "What was that?" she mumbled. Her gaze shifted to the steeping vessel and she wandered back to her spot behind the counter. "Right, the coffee."

"You ok?" Emma eyed the woman suspiciously. "Maybe Red should take over for the day," she suggested meekly.

"Sorry, did you say Faith is a werewolf?" Granny asked suddenly, her mouth agape.

"Yeah, Red's been working with her. They call it training, but-"

"And you don't know how it happened?"

Emma swept the room and moved closer to her friend. "Granny, are you drunk?" she whispered delicately and snuck a quick whiff of Granny's breath, just in case. "Or… high? I mean, I wouldn't judge you if you were, but I don't think it's safe."

"What? No- no, I'm fine!" Granny hissed, somewhat offended. "It's just…"

Emma started backing away; she tripped over her own feet, but brushed it off as if it hadn't happened. "Oh no. No, no, no, no. No 'it's justs.' Something bad _always_ comes after an 'it's just.'"

Granny gave the former sheriff a troubled look and wrung her hands anxiously. "You're not going to find anything in Gold's shop, Emma."

"What do you mean? He was the Dark One, he had to know something."

"He didn't," Granny professed. "But I might."

* * *

Red's cell phone rang shortly after her discussion with Faith. It was Emma. She tersely asked that Red and her daughter meet them back at home, and said that Granny would be there. She didn't give any reasons or specifics, but somehow, Red was still cognizant of its importance.

The dynamic duo arrived at the Swan-Mills residence on foot. Red had told Faith it was a little last minute pop quiz, a race to see who could get home first. Faith won, but only by a nanosecond.

It was still light outside, the sun wasn't even beginning to go down. The lively yellow ball of fire scowled down on the unsuspecting citizens underneath it, gleefully taking pleasure in their sunburns. The humidity had risen in the preceding hours, hints of an impending storm. Hungry mosquitos preyed upon any supply of naked skin, their incessant buzzing was hard for Faith ignore. She'd not yet mastered her senses, only her speed.

When they walked into the living room, Faith had déja vu to a few days before; everyone was there, with the addition of Granny. By everyone, that included Henry and Maya; the couple sat together on the couch. Faith's sister-in-law greeted her with a kind smile, her baby bump seemed slightly bigger than the last time they'd met. Henry, on the other hand, barely even looked at his sister. It wasn't exactly the family reunion Faith had been hoping for.

At 2:30 in the afternoon, Regina had taken the rest of the day off from work. The Mayor of Storybrooke had long since maintained that family took precedence of anything and everything. When Emma had called her, she could detect the urgency that her wife wanted to mask. It was no use, Regina knew Emma better than the blonde knew herself.

"Ma, what's all this?" Faith motioned to the full room of spectators, the whirring air conditioner coughed pathetically. David stood against the wall, while Snow and Johanna shared the nook by the window. The lack of space reminded Faith of a movie on premier night, the one time Emma had taken them outside of the town lines in the last year.

"Granny?" Red addressed her only blood relative skeptically.

"It seems that Mrs. Lucas is aware of something that we aren't- something that might explain your… condition," said Regina. Although she was in the comfort of her own home, her violet power suit made her as intimidating as ever. Not to mention her inflexible persona.

Unlike her granddaughter just minutes before, the corners of Granny's mouth were turned down in a severe frown. Never one to be attracted to drama, or to bear bad news, she wasn't quite sure how to go about it all. "Your mom told me about your newfound talents," she said to Faith in a parental tone. It was on rare occasions that she ever referred to being a wolf as a "talent," only after she'd witnessed Red and all that she'd overcome. "She also told me there was some uncertainty around the reasons for it."

"Yeah, kinda… Wait- so you know why I'm a werewolf?" Faith clarified, taking one step closer to Granny; it was the first time she'd used the word "werewolf" to describe herself since finding out. It'd been a tiresome week, the guilt of her family restlessly hunting for even the slightest piece of news wounded Faith like a Dreamshade-dipped arrow to the heart. She was a helpless onlooker as their efforts slowly deteriorated into nothing and they came up shorthanded everyday.

Granny fiddled with the button on her shirt, unwilling to reveal what she'd been hiding for decades. "I do," she said after a few seconds of tedious anticipation. "But, it concerns David and Red as well. Actually, I suppose it concerns all of you."

"Granny, just- just say it," Red begged. It wasn't often she'd seen her grandmother in such a frightful state, she could hear how hard her heart was beating. Something was definitely going on. Granny wasn't one to express her vulnerable side on a whim.

Like the gentleman he was, August leapt out of his chair and signaled for Granny to take it. He could see she needed something to rest upon. "Well," she started, her lips numb, her hands now in her lap. "It's… it's much bigger than you think— bigger than just Faith."

"What is?"

Granny stared Red right in the eyes, unable to withhold the classified information to herself any longer. There was not a single person in the room who didn't feel the aching and longing to hear Granny's news. Faith had shuffled closer to her moms for comfort, the first time she'd gotten so close to them in days. Emma and Regina stood behind their daughter, already ready to protect her.

"The only reason I never said anything before is- well, I saw Emma and I didn't think it was a problem, but-"

"Granny!" Red hollered, her foot stomped against the floorboards. She ignored everyone's stunned gawking and focused on her grandmother.

"David is… your half brother." Everyone in the room sucked in a collective breath as they heard the woman's confession. David's arms fell from their crossed position over his chest, his eyebrows knit together; he was already refuting the assertion in his head. The words he wanted so badly to say were caught in the lump that swelled in his throat. "You share the same father," Granny claimed. Snow's covered her gaping mouth, and Johanna peered up at her dad, pure bewilderment on both of women's faces.

"Wh- what?" Red gulped loudly.

As if they were watching a tennis match, the rest of the family members turned to Granny as the ball was passed. There was no going back now. "You and David have the same father. He was a wolf."

"No," David denied the accusation with enough force to knock down a beanstalk. "No!" While he'd never actually met the man whose DNA he possessed, he was sure he'd been someone to respect. This didn't sound like what David had had in mind.

"I'm sorry," Granny said, "but he was. He met my daughter around the same time he met your mother."

"Wha- why- why are you doing this?" Red demanded of the woman she thought she could trust. "Anita never said-"

"She never said anything, because she didn't know. She thought he just another wolf, a nomad. She couldn't have known he was involved with another woman."

"That's not possible, because my father wasn't a wolf!" David cried, his own blue eyes glossed over in rage.

"Please, let me explain," Granny beseeched. Snow laced her fingers in her her husband's and tugged on him just enough for him to stumble backwards. When everyone was listening again, Granny went further into detail. "He was in an arranged marriage with your mother," she addressed David, "as most people were at that time. I saw him once. He said his name was Thomas." The deputy's jaw at the mention of his father's name, that much he was sure of. "It was a one night stand," Granny uttered with regret. She absolutely loathed that term. "I knew Ruth only through the grapevine. News of your birth spread fast, but so did news of Thomas's death. That was something no one could sweep under the bridge."

Again, everyone looked to David for any form of a response. "Ma…" Faith interjected. "I'm- I'm confused."

"You're not the only one, Kid," Emma murmured. "So, what, Faith is a wolf because my… grandfather was one?"

Granny nodded stiffly. "See, Thomas and Anita were both werewolves, so they produced one. But, Ruth wasn't, so David isn't. I assumed that because he was fully human and so were you, it wasn't anything to worry about. Obviously, I was wrong."

Emma scoffed darkly, "You think?"

"I don't know how it skipped him or you," Granny said, as if it were justification. "And I don't know why you three," she said to Dani and the twins, "weren't affected. My only guess is that it skipped a couple generations and manifested as a result of powerful magic."

As though the title they'd given their daughter suddenly held more meaning, Regina heard herself whisper, "Our miracle baby."

It felt like years had passed between the group as no one dared to make a move. David and Red were the most dismayed at the unexpected report. Emma and Regina were having another silent conversation with each other on how best to handle the new situation. Now that they had an answer, sort of, the grueling search was over.

"What about Johanna?" Snow implored, distressed. Her green eyes plead with Granny for the answer she desperately wanted to hear. She had to know that her daughter- her other daughter- was out of the line of fire.

"If it hasn't happened by now, it probably wont," Granny commented vaguely. In all honesty, her knowledge of the werewolf world was just as limited as Red's; they knew some, but sometimes, it wasn't enough.

"I- I can't do this," David rambled quietly. "Snow, Johanna," he beckoned. The three of them left the Swan-Mills home without another word, though Snow gave her daughter an apologetic expression.

"I gotta go," Red choked through the tears that had finally broken through. The young woman sprinted through the front door and Faith chased after her, but once she got onto the front lawn, Red was out of sight. For the first time since they started working together, Red outran Faith. As much as she wanted to follow her mentor, something told Faith that she needed her space- just like Faith had needed her own space from her family.

"I'm sorry," she heard Granny say back in the house. With the grass between her toes, Faith tromped through the main hall and stood across from the older woman, her mother's menacing glare etched onto her face. "I know I should have you all much sooner-"

"I think it's best if you saw yourself out," Regina informed with her eyes closed. She was doing her damnedest not to use magic on one of the townspeople. Nearly 20 years, and the trust she had to win back was still paper thin. All she needed was one slip up, just one, and the rest of the small town would turn on her- whatever her reasons were.

Granny followed the instructions of her host without a protest and excused herself. Faith closed the door behind the older woman before rejoining the rest of her family. She'd forgotten Henry and Maya were still there, and her heart skipped a beat as she realized her brother hadn't run away again.

"Damn, and I thought our family tree was already crazy," the married man jested half-heartedly. Emma and Regina didn't have the energy to argue with their son; deep down, they agreed with him. It felt like some bizarre joke that the majority of the town's leaders were all related in some way or another. It only made sense that Red joined the family. After several years of learning to connect the dots between who was related to whom, it only added for an even more complex equation.

"So, Aunt Red is… our aunt Red?" August posed to the small group.

"If she's grandpa's sister, that'd make her our… great aunt?" Dakota decoded out loud. She examined the room for any form of recognition.

Too emotionally drained to deal with anything that involved thinking, Emma pinched the bridge of her nose and rested all of her weight onto the arm of the fading, purple couch. "Kids, why don't you relax for a little while and we'll order pizza for dinner."

"But it's not even three-" One look from the unamused blonde, and August closed his mouth. He and the girls read their mother's message loud and clear. Like troops who'd just received a command, the four of them disappeared from the living room one after the other. However, they convened together at the top of the stairs and utilized Faith's heightened hearing skills.

"What are they saying?" August elbowed his baby sister.

"Shhhh!" Faith held a finger over her lips. The youngest of them laid on her stomach with her head leaning over the first step and zeroed in on the hushed voices. The kids were too young to remember the struggle of tuning radios just enough for static to vanish completely, and as a result, their patience in eavesdropping was minimal.

"Do you believe her?" Emma asked.

"Do we have any other option?" That was definitely Regina's husky voice. Even from the second floor, Faith could hear her brunette parent's fury. "If my mother was still here, and if she had any sense, she'd have had Granny's head for that little stunt. Gods, do you realize how long she's been keeping that secret?"

"No one else knew about this?" It was a man who spoke next. It had to be Henry.

"Clearly not. If I _had_ known, I would have said something. I may have been the Evil Queen, but that…," Regina sighed in heavy exhaustion and moved on. "I can only assume the same of your grandparents, considering David's reaction."

"Gina, I know it's been a while, but I still don't get magic. Why don't the other kids- why aren't they wolves, too?"

"That's a good question, dear. What was it she said? 'If it hasn't happened by now, it probably won't?'"

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain it. Why Faith? Why not the others?"

"Ma, didn't Granny say it, like, 'manifested' because of 'powerful magic?' Maybe Faith's stronger than Dani or either of the twins," Henry hypothesized. Faith couldn't see him, but she had a feeling he had his arm around Maya the way he always did, especially after the wedding.

"Red did mention something about Faith's witch and her wolf," Emma recalled absentmindedly.

Faith felt the hot air on her neck from her siblings as she inclined further over the stairs. With one arm, she pushed herself away from August and Dakota to better concentrate on the sounds below.

"Right, well, I suppose we could go on an on about this to no end, but the truth of the matter is that this is in the children's DNA, as well as yours, dears," said Regina. Faith figured she was talking to Henry and Emma. "As for your daughter, I don't think there's cause for concern. It's clear that whatever is occurring is the result of magic. Considering neither you or Maya possess it, I think it's safe to assume your child will be unaffected." There was something else veiled behind Regina's words, something Faith couldn't quite name. It wasn't anger, per se, but it wasn't sorrow. Faith had yet to possess a fully functioning vocabulary that matched that of her parents'.

"I guess… we should get going."

The scuffle of footsteps almost got in the way of Emma's voice. "You know, Kid, you're welcome to stay for dinner. We haven't seen much of you, either of you. You guys are missed."

Before Henry could object, Maya answered for the both of them. "We'd love to." The grin was evident even from the top floor.

"Good, then I'll just get your siblings from the top of the stairs. If they're anything like you, which they are, they've been listening to this whole thing."

"Move!" Dani commanded Faith and the twins, and the four of them scrambled to the closest bedroom. But it was too late. They'd been made.

"Nice try," Emma called through the halls. The four Swan-Mills teenagers held their breath in Dani's bedroom, pressed against the door. Emma's footsteps were torture to the nervous quartet. Seeing as the rest of the doors were open, it only made sense that Emma figured out where they were hiding. The metal knob twisted slowly and the kids moved into casual positions about space. Dani and Dakota sat on the bed, while August and Faith kneeled by the vent in the wall. The window was open and a small, dank breeze blew in; the curtains that hung just above lifted off of the sill blandly. A friendly tree branch flopped through the opening; its brilliant, verdant leaves detached and fell onto the carpeted floor. Emma was impressed with their tenacity, but alas, she wasn't not convinced of her children's charade. "You know, next time you wanna eavesdrop, make sure not to leave any evidence," Emma said as she held up one of Dakota's yarn bracelets. The brunette looked down at her wrist and refrained from slamming her face into her palm.

As the guilty parties grappled with the floor and stood up, Dakota repossessed her jewelry from Emma. "How much trouble are we in?"

A crooked smile made its way across Emma's lips as she heard Henry ask the same question almost exactly 18 years ago. The image of a 13 year-old boy with messy brown hair flashed in Emma's mind before she knew what was happening. "It's your lucky day, Kids. Since I'm pretty much brain dead right now, and since your other mom is probably coming up with ways to curse someone, no trouble."

The four of them lined up in order of age, starting with Dani and ending with Faith. All Emma was missing was a dog whistle. She could see how hard they were all working to maintain their stoicism, even though their lives had just gotten that much more complicated. "Ma?" Faith stepped forward with her arms behind her back like a cadet. "What's gonna happen to Grandpa and Aunt Red?"

"Whaddu you mean 'happen?'" Emma cocked her head to one side.

"They're not gonna like… stop being friends are they? We're still gonna see them, right?" Faith jammed her hands into the pockets of her cargo shorts, a loan from August since it was the only thing that fit.

It took Emma a minute to get what Faith was trying to ask. "In other words, they're not gonna pull a Henry and just disappear? Is that what I'm hearing?" Faith was too mortified to even nod. After searching the faces of Dani and the twins and seeing the same hesitancy in them, Emma dropped herself on the bed and pat the empty space around her. Once all of them were together, she made a point of making eye-contact with each of them as she responded honestly. "Grandpa and Red just had their worlds turned upside down. They're probably gonna seem like they're miles away, but really, they just need time to… figure everything out."

"What if they don't wanna be brother and sister?" Dakota questioned.

"I dunno, baby girl. But, I think it's more than just that." Emma felt each of her kids' chaotic emotions, and she wished with everything she had in her that she could make it better. "Look, I know it's been a crazy week. We've all learned things, scary things. But what do I always tell you guys?"

A moment of conference rippled through the group before Dani inserted herself in the conversation. "Everything will be ok."

"Everything will be ok," Emma agreed, overlapping Dani's words. Her hand traveled through the semi-circle as she pulled each of the teenagers in closer to kiss their heads. "Tonight, we're going to do whatever we want, ok? Pizza, soda, candy, movies, anything. You've all earned that and more. And, as for Grandpa and Red… let them cool off. No spontaneous visits or bombarding them with phone calls. If they don't come to us after a while, then at that point, we'll go to them… Until then, we'll just take what comes at us. How's that sound? That sound like a plan?" The two blondes and the two brunettes smiled weakly, their own fatigue looked as if it was difficult to keep their heads up. "Good. Now, let's sugar wasted."

For a change of pace, Emma lead the group of siblings, instead of Dani. The eldest daughter had the opportunity to slump in the back and walk side-by-side with Faith. She often thought to herself that people would be surprised at how much work being an older sister is, the responsibility that fell upon her. Sometimes, she just wanted to be a sister- not the oldest.

When they returned to the living room, Regina held her arms open for her children and hugged them all at once. Faith was squished in the middle when she looked over at Henry. Maya decided to help Emma with ordering the pizza, not that much assistance was needed. Nevertheless, when she saw Faith, she politely moved aside and trailed after her mother-in-law.

"Hey," Faith greeted her recently absent relative, who's face was clean-shaven.

Almost naked without his sheriff's badge, Henry resumed the role of the oldest brother. Now that he had a chance to really see her, the pain of realizing how big she'd gotten was unbearable. However, in keeping his silent to oath to himself, he smirked down at the brown-eyed girl. It scared him that he didn't have to look down very far, as the the top of her head reached his chin. Henry did the math in his head, and calculated she'd reach full maturity in less than another week. "Hey, yourself." Completely baffled as to what she should say, Faith just stood there, one leg crossed over the other. Luckily for her, Henry knew his baby sister quite well. "I know I've been an ass," he said abruptly. "But I'm gonna make up for it, I promise. I'm… I'm sorry, Faith. I should have never-"

Without warning, Faith wrapped her arms tightly around Henry's torso and laid her head against his shoulder. The grown man recovered from the shock and repaid Faith with an even warmer embrace. She'd missed the scent of Old Spice and the sound of Henry's voice. And, he'd missed the disheveled ponytails and Faith's gentle hugs. In that moment, that was all she needed. A small voice in her head told her she was being selfish, but a stronger one assured her she deserved it. Everything else around her seemed to fade away as she received the acceptance of the last family member. Although she knew the real trouble had just begun, the flicker of hope that had so pathetically quivered in the preceding days suddenly became a full flame. Finally, things didn't seem as bleak as before. There was silver lining in the storm, and Faith was planning to take full advantage of it, with the help of her family- the entire family. And she was going to help them.

* * *

**A/N -** Hello, dearies! So, I did some character research, and it seemed like, as far as we knew, David's father and Red's father weren't named. A couple of people were wondering if Emma had any wolf in her, and in this sense, sort of. But, not completely. I'll explain more soon! This chapter was already pretty long, and I really didn't want to make it too tedious to read. I do hope you enjoyed it! Thank you to my new followers/favorit-ers! Means a lot! Lemme know what y'all think!


	6. Unintentional Intentions

Not only were the Swan-Mills family eagerly awaiting word from David and Red, but they were forced to witness Faith grow even more. A violent tornado of days paved its way through and destroyed a great deal in its path. Now matching the age of an 18 year-old, Faith was tall as her mothers. Her hair reached the base of her back and layers of brown muddled in with the gold. Her chestnut eyes had lightened just a bit until they were in-between brown and hazel. Freckles appeared on her cheeks, but they were only visible if someone were less than an inch away from Faith. Her jawline softened and the dimple in her chin made her look even more like Emma. Her voice was a combination of both women; governing at some points, like Regina's, and soothing at others, like Emma's. Faith was indeed a miniature version of her parents, even more so than Dani. And, although Henry had returned, there was still something off about Faith- more so than the obvious.

* * *

With the absence of Red, Faith lacked a proper trainer. As a result, Dani and the twins were more than accommodating. No longer following hunches in Gold's Shop, the time they could have spent sleeping in and relaxing, they donated to their baby sister. Faith tried to reason with them, but they simply told her it was a win-win; she would still be able to practice, and they would have the chance to exercise their own magic. When she asked them what that meant, Dani and the twins shared a mischievous look, sly grins on their faces.

Everyday at noon, the teenagers scavenged the forest for the best spot. Depending on where the sun was, their location changed from one day to the next, as well as their plans. All four of them approached their sessions as if they were army training camps. With shorts that gave room for wide movements, light-colored tee-shirts that repelled the sun, and their sneakers tied in double-knots, they prepared for the hours that were yet to come.

While their children paraded through the woods, Emma and Regina still had their work cut out for them. As friends, as mothers, as wives, and as daughters they had a responsibility to keep the pieces of their family in place. The two women had hardly any time to each other anymore, it seemed. Between watching over their rambunctious teenagers, keeping track of David and Red, and counting the days to the next full moon, the mothers rarely got a break. It was a tiresome and thankless job, but they never gave up. They didn't have the luxury.

* * *

It was a cool Thursday afternoon, exactly 13 days since Faith first phased, and one week since the familial ties were tangled. The sun was nowhere to be seen; it wasn't just hiding, it was hibernating. The sky was a white sheet of vapor, desolate save for the few fearless Robin Red Breasts that flapped their tiny wings through the air. When the first breeze decided to make its grand entrance, a ghostly whistle slithered through the muscular tree trunks. There were no squirrels to be seen pecking on walnuts, no toads crying under leaves, and no deer prancing over fallen branches. It was just the teenagers and their thoughts.

The obstacle course was designed around the heart of the forest and lead straight to the beach. Faith didn't think it was possible to create such a long and winding path, but magic proved otherwise. Orange traffic cones for agility, plastic hurdles for endurance, and bowling balls for strength were scattered through the trail. It wasn't exactly what Red had done, but it worked. The entire route was four miles long.

The moment Dani and the twins transported in a unison swirl of burgundy smoke, Faith took off in a full sprint. Her knees came up to her chest as she made long strides around and over the interferences. Her long hair was pulled back in a single braid that bounced against her back. She managed to keep her breathing in a steady pattern, her hands cupped slightly in front of her, her hips swayed in perfect form.

Every now and then, Dani or one of the twins would pop up without warning and test Faith's reaction skills; if she jumped backwards, she had to start over again. Luckily for her, she only tripped twice. And, each time she started again, her heart took off faster than her legs.

At the halfway mark, Faith scooped up the 15 pound bowling ball and hugged it close to her torso as she ran down the path. The definition in her arms was as clear as a portrait; her biceps were toned, as well as her triceps. Faith was rather proud of her strong calves, if she were to be asked.

When she completed three fourths of the race, Dani and the twins appeared at her sides and jogged after her, cheering her on the whole way. August clapped boldly, a goofy smile exposed his shiny eye teeth. Dakota roared her little sister's name and giggled as she heard her own voice echo through the atmosphere. And Dani kept time on her stopwatch, while still hooting and hollering praises at Faith. "Keep going! You're almost done!"

Finally, the accomplished woman crossed the red-marked line in the sand; Faith had completed the course. Without missing a beat, the blonde promptly dropped the bowling ball and watched as it made a crater in the soft earth. She felt her legs lug her forward and couldn't resist their commands. In a pair of August's basketball shorts and one of Emma's tank tops, Faith dove headfirst under the waves. She could hear the bellowing laughter of her siblings as they, too, splashed through the cold shore. Bubbles gathered around the group and ripples crawled to the edge of the bank.

Slowly, Faith lifted her head just over the waves and watched as Dakota used her magic to create a water vortex that spun around them. With a squeal of satisfaction, the brunette released the tornado upon her brother and sisters. August retaliated with a fair-sized handful of mud that hit the center of his twin's chest.

When they were ready to swim back to shore, the sludge between their toes created resistance, almost as if the bottom of the beach were begging them to stay. In the end, after half an hour of floating in the blue lakeside, the Swan-Mills children laid on towels Dani had summoned for them. Their hair was sopping, their clothes clung to them in their soaked state, and they had sand in places they preferred not to. With their blankets wrapped around their shoulders, Dani and the twins sat cross-legged, opposite Faith. Their baby sister wasn't a baby anymore.

As the three oldest teenagers tried no to stare, Faith gazed out over the still water. Where the sun should have been was replaced by plain clouds. "We should talk to Red and Grandpa," she suggested tamely. In an odd way, her voice had a similar effect on the others as their mom's did; Dani and the twins sat erect when Faith spoke, just like they did with Regina. It was that assertive, self-assured tone.

Dakota leaned back with her legs out in front of her, her hands buried themselves in the sand below. She addressed her taller sister evenly. "You heard what Ma said; we gotta give them some time."

"Yeah, they'll come around," August agreed. "Just like Henry did." He could smell a plan outlining itself in Faith's mind. She had that same blank look in her eyes that Emma had.

"I don't have enough time to wait, guys. The next full moon is in less than two weeks. I already lost out on one without Red training me. She'll never come back and help me if she and Grandpa don't figure something out," said Faith. Very slowly, she could feel her clothes drying against her body. The sand that had just been trapped in her tank top let go of her skin and gathered in a pocket of her shirt. In a rather graceful maneuver, Faith was on her feet. She brushed off the dirt from her arms and back as another chilly gust of wind swept past them; her sand-coated hair slapped her square in the face. "I'll take Red, you take Grandpa, ok?"

"I don't think-"

"Please," Faith pleaded with her oldest sister. There was nothing immature or childish about her behaviour, something Dani and the twins would have to grow accustomed to. They could no longer boss around their baby sister. She was an adult now. She made her own decisions. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, I do," Faith said to her family. "But we both know Red is the only one who can get me ready. And right now, I'm not ready." When neither Dani, Dakota, or August got up to join her, Faith understood. "Ok, fine. If Ma asks, tell her I'm-"

"We can't tell her anything if we're with you," Dani exhaled. She held a hand for each of the last two and pulled them off of the ground. "We're coming too."

* * *

Walking barefoot in the middle of the street, you'd think someone would find it weird. However, in Storybrooke, the town's idea of weird had evolved in the last several decades. And, considering it was the Swan-Mills children, the offspring of the Savior and the Queen, no one questioned them.

Faith lead the troupe with her shoes slung over her shoulder. The recently repaved block top sprang under her feet like a trampoline, almost too bouncy for her. Just a few weeks ago, had she been shuffling down the road barefoot, she would have found it to be fun. But that was then. This is now. Her hair was now completely dry, and her clothes were only slightly damp. Dani and the twins, on the other hand, had conjured a spare change of clothes back at the beach. Unlike Faith, they didn't have the stamina for the discomfort.

On a day like today, with no sun to bask in and no humidity to slink through, the majority of the town's residents stayed within the four walls of their confinements. There were a few cars parked here and there, but they were the same ones parked in those spots everyday. Most of the people walked everywhere, seeing as how it was a relatively small community.

The sign to Gold's Pawn Shop revealed that it was open, and Faith could see Belle's fiery-red hair through the window. When she saw her own reflection, the reaction skills she'd been working to improve failed her as she noted her adult features. She halted her steps for a second and, still gawking at her image, reached a shaky hand up to her face. Not only did her family have trouble recognizing her, but Faith didn't even recognize herself.

Granny's was running, as always. However, since their last encounter with the older woman, the kids had made a point to stay away from her. It wasn't just because Emma and Regina advised them to, either. Over the years, the entire family had come to develop a strong resentment towards secrets. After the most recent had been revealed, they'd all been rather apprehensive about approaching Granny.

Finally, the sheriff's station. In the few days since they'd begun repairing their relationship, Faith found great joy in seeing her brother. Now that she was an adult, in a way, she realized she had an easier time communicating with him. They'd been able to carry mature, articulate conversations as opposed to nine year-old babble. It was something the both of them were navigating around.

The doors swung open with a great amount of ease as Faith curled her fingers around the metal handle. Her intention was to visit with Henry and David before stepping out to find Red. It seemed less conspicuous than just Dani and the twins. If it was the four of them together, Faith's hope was that David wouldn't be too skeptical.

As they sauntered through the room, still barefoot, Dani was the first to greet the men. Henry was attempting to balance a pencil on his nose, his eyes crossed, and his arms folded over his button down shirt— something Maya probably picked out for him. His sense of style had improved greatly since their relationship started. Henry's brown hair sat plainly on top of his head, as if he'd been in too much of a rush to style it.

David, however, was reclined in his wheely chair. His cropped buzz-cut gave brought extra attention to blue eyes, the way they glazed over when he was in deep thought. The scar on his chin was highlight by the lamp on his desk, almost as noticeable as Regina's. Short scruff shadow fastened itself to his cheeks and chin, a sign that he'd been too out of it to shave. At 50 years-old, he was just as young as ever. The only notable differences were the laugh lines that had etched themselves at he corners of his mouth. Neither of the men seemed to notice their spontaneous company.

"You guys look swamped," Dani snorted as she hopped on her brother's desk. Henry lurched in his seat, the pencil dropped to the floor and bounced on its eraser. The 14 year-old took pride in her ability to startle her brother, even in his old age.

"Is it always this boring?" August asked as he took a turn and sat himself on top of David's table. His grandfather hardly even flinched, let alone looked at him. August waved a hand in front of David's eyes, "Grandpa?"

While Dani and August occupied the sheriff and the deputy's work counters, Dakota sat in the cell and closed the door behind her. With a nimble twist of her wrist, the lock clicked and Dani wrapped her hands around the iron bars. "Nothing?" she sighed as she glanced at David, who still hadn't moved. "Man, he's really zoned out."

Unfazed by his sibling's antics, Henry shifted towards Faith, the only one who was still standing in her spot. The way she carried herself was more than noticeable; Henry recognized that same determination in their mothers, but also the same mischief. "Does Ma know you're here?"

Faith shrugged cryptically. "Maybe, maybe not."

"Uh huh," Henry rolled his eyes. "How was, um, training?" He was making an effort, that much was apparent. In relation to Emma and Regina, he was tied with Emma for most convincing.

"Cold," August answered immediately having swiveled his entire body in Henry's direction. He contently swung his legs over the floor. His shoelaces of his sneakers were coming untied and lazily grazed the tile. It was getting hard to take him seriously the longer his curls grew over the top half of his forehead. He was beginning to resemble a sheep dog with his thick coat.

Dakota magically released herself from the holding cell and conjured a wooden stool. She positioned herself right between the two desks, a midpoint between the two segments. She squinted just a bit as she examined her petrified grandfather. Even in his motionless state, she could see the melancholy in his hunched shoulders.

"Ok," Faith announced suddenly, her murmur a hallow reverberation that rebounded off of the flooring. She cocked a knowing eyebrow at Dani, "You know what to do?"

"Hm hmm," Dani saluted crisply. She wasn't accustomed to being the one to take commands from her siblings, but she was learning to trust Faith's maturing instincts.

Without another word, Faith spun on her heels and began her subtle exit. That is, until she felt a rough hand tug on her elbow. "You're not doing what I think you're doing, are you?" asked Henry, a dubiousness to his question.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Faith retorted. Her timely quip caught Henry off guard, it was visible in his slackened jaw. Faith groaned inwardly and blinked very slowly. "Don't tell Ma. Please?"

Hearing an 18 year-old beg was something Henry couldn't help but smirk at, especially when that 18 year-old was his sister. He was beginning to enjoy this developed camaraderie between the two of them. Henry pushed his shoulders back and stood as tall as a solider, unhinged his badge from his belt loop, and juggled it back and forth. Faith eyed him, now clearly agitated. "Since I don't wanna be the only one who doesn't know, I'll make you a deal."

Faith rubbed her neck in dread, "God, you're like Grandpa Gold."

A momentary flash of pain erupted in Henry's eyes, which he quickly brushed aside. He knew Fait hadn't meant it in a malice way. "Tough," he grunted. "You don't want Ma or Mom to know, so how's this? I give you a sheriff escort to wherever you may or may not be going, keep tabs on you and stuff, and I won't say a word. But, if you wanna go on your own, I'm sure moms would be really curious what you're all up to." He whispered the last part with his hands behind his back, leaned in somewhat.

A tense four seconds passed as Faith and Henry engaged in a telepathic battle. She knew that regardless of her age, Henry would always win. As much as she wanted him to lose, Faith wasn't brave enough to challenge him… yet. The slim blonde woman stepped back and motioned to the door, "Escort me, _Sheriff_."

* * *

Red wasn't in her room at Granny's Inn. Her cell phone was on the table, her bed looked as if a gorilla had slept in it the previous night, clothes were strewn all over the floor, and a steel bucket with melted ice sat in the chair by the bathroom. The remnants of a meal from Granny's created a potent odor that stung Henry and Faith's eyes. After deductive reasoning, the sheriff knew where Red had to be.

The main room of the Rabbit Hole served as refuge to less than a handful of lost people. Neon lights illuminated the space as the jukebox in the back blasted Jimi Hendricks's "Foxy Lady;" the walls vibrated alongside the slashing of guitar solos, his raspy baritone crackled through the speakers. There was a lingering stench of cigarettes, and Faith resisted the impulse to bolt through the doors.

Red wasn't a hard person to find. In her defense, she wasn't exactly hiding. She sat on a high stool at the wooden bar, one leg crossed over the other. Her knee-length, black, leather boots practically cried for attention, and her matching skirt wasn't very different; in a sitting position, it came down just between her thighs and her knees. Her ruby, red tank top rested loosely over her body, her muscular arms flaunted themselves. She had her left hand gripped around a brown beer bottle, and her right holding her head up. Red never sensed Henry and Faith behind her.

Like brother, like sister, the two took a seat on either side of the mopey woman. Henry ordered a water for himself, and for Faith. Since taking over as the bartender, Jefferson kept to his own. Between his job and Grace, he was content with the life he'd found.

"12," Faith mumbled. There was no pressure, she didn't stare at Red for a response. Instead, she calmly took a polite sip of her ice water. When the cubes bumped against one another, she mildly released the cup to the care of the cork coaster on the counter.

"What?" Red finally asked, still dazed.

"That's how many days until the next full moon," the other woman explained. "Technically, it's 12 days, four hours, and 37 minutes," Faith said after reading the Elvis clock by the jukebox.

Red expressed no concern for the fearful blonde as she lifted her bottle and shook the empty container until Jefferson nodded at her. "How long you been here?" Henry tried his turn at getting the ball rolling, seeing as Faith's sympathy attempt hadn't worked.

"A while," Red said without any feeling. Jefferson came towards the trio with a cold beer and offered it to the tired wolf. But, before she could accept it, Faith intercepted, her advanced motor skills surpassed her former teacher's. Red's eyes widened and she made a move for her beverage. Faith, however, pulled her arm back even further. "Seriously? Come on!" Red griped noisily. In her poor efforts to recover her drink, Red veered too far to the left and toppled onto the floor. It was always an unfortunate scene when an adult landed on their bum.

Faith and Henry were at Red's side in an instant; the two of them pulled her up and half-carried her to a booth. It'd been a fair amount of time since Henry had last seen someone anywhere near drunk. He never socialized much in Boston, and his parents rarely drank alcohol. Well, ok, Emma did, but he pretended not to notice.

While Faith sat with a disoriented Red, Henry sprinted to the bar, muttered something at Jefferson, and returned with a cold washcloth in his possession. He gave it to Faith and surveyed the great care with which she pressed it against Red's forehead. If he didn't know any better, he would have guessed his sister had done it before. That, or she really was becoming a grown up.

After a few minutes, Red started to come back to her senses. Her sluggish posture and half-closed eyes self-corrected. She sat up on her own and swept the room. The only people she really _saw_ were Faith and Henry; a tidal wave of chagrin turned her face a flaming scarlet to match her hair.

"Welcome back," Henry winked at his… aunt.

"Crap." Red rolled her eyes and wished she could bury herself under a rock. She felt as big as an amoeba. Her guilt of having Faith see her in her less than desirable moments was unmeasurable. When she snuck a peek at the young woman next to her, Red understood the purpose of their meeting. "Is that Emma's shirt?" she asked with a teaspoon of humor, her own kind of apology.

"You think my mom would wear something like this?" Faith chuckled, a sign that there were no hard feelings.

"Touché," Red snickered. She twisted the cold rag in her lap and ignore the drops of liquid that slid down her leg.

A grueling moment of silence commenced as Henry and Faith ransacked their brains for something to say- something other than, "What the hell have you been doing?"

"I'm sorry Granny lied to you," Faith said in a sympathetic manner.

Red's shoulders fell as her forehead creased like sheets on her bed. A lone tear trickled down the side of her cheek as if it were finally free of its cage. Without falling too deep in self-despair, Red dabbed the corner of her eye with the towel. "It's not your fault. She knew what she was doing."

"Which only makes it worse," Henry related. He was no stranger to the world of the unsaid, nor to the realm of resentment that accompanied it. "She should have told you."

"He's right. It's not fair to hide something that big," said Faith.

Unwilling to accept their courtesy, Red brushed off their sentiments. "Why are you here? You wanna see how shitty this is? What? Do you feel sorry for me?" There was a hostility to her questions as if she'd forgotten who they were. Henry and Faith were no longer family members, but strangers crashing Red's personal party. There was only room for one, and Henry and Faith didn't have an invitation.

"I need your help," Faith said with completely transparency. Her courage spiked through her previously demur persona as she spoke directly at Red. "Look, you said you thought I could get control by next month. Well next month is only a couple weeks away, and I'm not even close to being in control. Please… I don't know what to do."

"There's nothing to 'do,'" said Red, resolved to the idea of relinquishing effort. "You know where I keep my hood. Just use that." She no longer saw the point in training Faith, when her own life had stopped making sense. Everything she'd done meant nothing, not when she'd been lied to about her identity. No, she was done with trying to make things work that obviously wouldn't.

Dismayed at Red's solution, Faith shrank away from the woman. "What? No! I'm not wearing that! It doesn't fix anything!"

Overwhelmed and feeling cornered, Red jumped out of the booth and slammed the washcloth on the table; water droplets splattered around it. "Do whatever you wanna do, but I can't help you. I'm sorry, but you're on your own."

As Faith's own eyes swelled with tears, Henry shot up and shouted after Red. "You can't just run away from it! It's not gonna go away!"

Red whipped around with her fangs bared. "Yeah? And what the hell would you know about it?"

"I know what it's like to have someone you care about make you feel like crap. Both of my moms lied to me, right to my face," Henry reasoned.

"That's not the same," Red snarled.

While he wouldn't admit it, Henry was somewhat frightened of Red and the fury she emoted. He couldn't recall when he'd ever seen her so impassioned. "You're right, but it's not so different either." He took a few wary steps in Red's direction and stopped when they were just inches apart. "You wanna be mad at Granny, fine. But don't take it out on yourself, and don't take it out on Faith. She may be an adult now, but she's still scared out of her mind. You remember what that's like, don't you?"

* * *

When Henry and Faith returned to the station, Dani and the twins were alone. David's desk lacked an owner, but his keys and badge were on top. Dani placidly awaited her siblings' return in Henry's chair and practiced the same thing he'd being doing: balancing a pencil on her nose. The room screamed of boredom as Henry and Faith came through the doors.

"Uh, where's Grandpa?" Faith asked, one finger pointed at the unoccupied seat.

Dakota and August shared the bench in the cell; his sister's head on his lap as she slept. When they heard Faith, the both of them jolted into an upright position. "Where's Aunt Red?" Dani teased, a thin coat of consideration surrounded her query. She had a feeling Faith and Henry had about as much luck with Red as she and the twins had with David.

"Didn't work, did it?" Dakota frowned, already discouraged.

Making sure that he didn't sound as if all was lost, Henry walked towards Dakota and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Not this time."

* * *

Dinner that night was rather strenuous. Emma'd prepared a succulent, summer meal for the family; watermelon cut in perfect triangles, fresh-squeezed lemonade, pasta salad, and BLTs all meticulously organized around the table. Regina'd had a grueling day at the office and she brought the stress home with her. She'd said little to nothing as she stepped into the front hallway and disappeared into the study until dinner time. But, then again, that's how most nights had gone since Faith's first phasing.

Family meals in the Swan-Mills household had become something of a chore, as opposed to an event to be excited about. Dani and the twins always made an effort at keeping the conversation alive. Emma and Faith would add something here and there, though they often just listened. Regina would sit with her spine arched back just a smidge, holding her fork and knife, her knuckled turning white from her firm hold.

When no one dared to make the first move that night, August finished chewing his pasta and laid his cards out there. "We saw Grandpa today," he proclaimed. He waved off Emma and Regina's harsh, disapproving glares and cleared his throat. "And Aunt Red." Dani swung her leg under the table and kicked her brother in the shin with enough force to knock over the Eiffel Tower. "Ow!" the teenager yelped, his skin already bright pink.

Regina crisply blotted her lipstick-covered mouth with her cloth napkin, so delicately so, Cora would have been proud. "What was that, dear?"

"Nothing," Dani and Faith answered together.

The simultaneous response only elicited that much more conjecture from the mothers. "Ok, now you're both definitely lying," Emma inferred. "What's going on? What'd you guys do?"

Nothing but unease was shared between the four youth, and for some reason, they all looked towards Faith for guidance- even Dani. "It's nothing, Ma," the tallest of them dismissed. "Really, no big deal." At least she was acknowledging it.

"I thought we agreed to leave Grandpa and Red alone for a while."

"Ma," Faith grumbled. Not only could she hear Emma's vessel throbbing in her chest, but she could see literally feel her blood boiling.

"Don't think that because you're a legal adult, we can't still ground you," Emma threatened. "All of you."

"We didn't do anything bad," said Dani.

"We were just trying to do the right thing," August chimed in.

"It's not all her fault," Dakota defended, a protectiveness to her statement.

"It doesn't matter why you did it or whose idea it was," Regina said, her voice as sharp as nails. She saw that she had her children's rapt attention, the way the dropped their forks and listened without interrupting. "You deliberately went against our agreement, therefore, no magic for a week."

"What?! That's not fair!" Dani and the twins all contested.

"Mom, come on, they didn't do anything." Faith desperately tried to fix the mistake she'd made. "Please, they didn't even want to!"

"No magic for a week," Regina repeated stalely. "That's final." She swept her foot behind the leg of the chair, pushed it back, and vanished from the family room.

Now, no one was eating. Not even August. They all took the room's temperature and felt it best to let the situation fizzle out on its own. Of the four kids, neither of them bore as much remorse as Faith did. Dani and the twins were on punishment for something she coerced them to do. They were the innocent party, they didn't deserve to be reprimanded. Sitting there, Faith came to the conclusion that she wouldn't tell anyone, especially not Emma and Regina. In her eyes, it would only make the situation worse.

* * *

While the kids' magic may have been off-limits, the television wasn't. Their penalty wasn't exactly orthodox, but then again, neither was their family. And, since Emma had gone after Regina once dinner ended- mostly due to the brunette's outburst- the kids were left to their own devices… so long as it didn't include magic.

Dani and Dakota lounged on the couch together, both on one end. Their legs were tightly tucked beneath them, their shorts exposed their scraped knees from training, and their identical brown hair was set in taut ponytails. With barely two inches differentiating them in height, the sisters were nearly indistinguishable.

August had his long hair wrapped under his knit beanie, a new look he was trying out. The loose strands had finally been swept from his eyes, which were now visible. His gradually defining biceps flexed automatically when he folded his hands behind his head, something he was becoming proud of. He was no longer the scrawny teenager he'd been just a few weeks ago. Thanks to his lessons with Faith, he was steadily getting into fit shape. He was convinced he would finish the summer looking like Sylvester Stallone.

Faith leaned in the doorway, hesitant to infiltrate her brother and sisters' quiet time. After the day they'd had, she wouldn't blame them if they were annoyed with her; she was annoyed with her. It wasn't that long ago that she was smiling and traipsing after her siblings, following their lead. She wanted so badly to be just like them, to have magic. She saw how they could make things appear and create fire in the palm of their hands. She remembered watching them break through the spells that had bound their magic, the way they grew more powerful each and everyday. And now… all Faith wanted to go back to being normal. She was tired of worrying. She was tired of everyone treated her like was a ticking time bomb; the condescension, their false excitement and encouragement. She heard their rapid intake of breaths, she made note of how they monitored her every movement. Less than a month as a wolf, and she was already the outcast of the family. Red was right; she was alone in this. No one could understand.

When she finished wallowing in her self-pity, Faith silently went up to her bedroom, taking three steps at a time. She almost made it to the door, when she heard thematic grumbling from her moms' room. In a moment of panic and impulse, Faith positioned herself on the floor, right by the crack underneath the barrier. She could just make out two silhouettes, though she couldn't tell who was who. With her legs hugged to her chest, Faith laid her head on the wall behind her and closed her eyes.

"Really! And now disobeying our orders?" Regina scoffed.

"Gina, they're not dogs," Emma rationalized. In her mind's eye, Faith pictured her mothers sitting on their bed, Regina shaking her head in distaste, Emma being the voice of reason. She could just see the vein bulging out of Regina's forehead. But, Faith could also see the faint gray hairs that were now visible in the light of day. Her brunette mother hadn't much as big of a fuss over aging as her blonde mother, but that was to be expected. When it came to trivial items as those, Regina was always the calm one.

"No, but they know better. Emma, she's gaining too much control over them. She's too big of an influence." Something in Faith's chest tightened as she understood who Regina was talking about. "What happens when she's 20 years-old? Hm? Or 25? Will they continue to blindly follow her?"

"Come on, Gina, that's ridiculous. You know that doesn't make any sense."

"Doesn't it? Think about this, all right? Disregard the last few years." Regina's voice softened until it was no more than a whisper. "We don't know the risks accompanied with this. Gods, we don't even know why she hasn't gotten her magic! There's no telling what she's capable of- what she will be capable of! We can't risk the other children's safety."

"Do you hear yourself? Jesus Christ, Regina, are you actually listening to what you're saying? Nothing is going to happen. Faith is our daughter, she wouldn't do anything to purposefully hurt the others."

"Purposefully being the operative word, dear."

Faith wanted to run into her room, to slam the door behind her. She wanted to act as if she hadn't just heard her mother condemn her for something she never even wanted to happen. But it was too late. The damage had been done; as much as she wanted to leave, something was keeping her glued to her spot. She wished more than anything she could have been with her brother and sisters, obliviously watching a movie. Anywhere but right there.

When the women stopped bickering, Faith forced herself off of the floor, carried her limp body to her room, and collapsed on her bed. With the door closed, tears poured down her cheeks, a waterfall of pent up emotions. The fragile woman laid on her side, a puddle formed on her pillow case. Her body convulsed as she bit back the painful cries that fought to escape her lips. For the first time since she'd phased, Faith didn't see, hear, smell, taste, or feel anything… unless emptiness counted.

* * *

That night, while everyone slept, Faith snuck out to the castle in the woods. Alone, she stargazed upon the bubbles of gas in the sky. It wasn't like when she was a wolf that first night. This time, she took in everything around her and knew she was in her normal form; the crickets that chirped to one another in friendly conversation, the waves that crashed against the rocks just a few miles away, the cold air that surrounded her. Everything around her was as normal as ever… except the woman herself. She'd completely forgotten what normal was- what it meant, what it felt like.

As the leaves danced above her in time to the wind, Faith devised a new plan of her own, down to the very last detail. It was nothing but a figment of her imagination right now. But, given a few days, it had the potential to become a reality.

With every twinkling marble and every glimmer of the moon, Faith's eye-lids became heavier and heavier. Her long legs bent at the knee as the rest of her dangled above earth, still in her pajamas (they were technically Emma's). The last thought that crossed Faith's mind before she gave in to the exhaustion, was an illustration. Well, more like a photographically correct dream. She was standing in the middle of the road, a backpack slung over her shoulder; a dense fog hung in the atomosphere, making it hard to see more than five feet away. She had a map crammed into her pocket, August's beanie, and Emma's cell phone. There was a green road sign to her right, one she refused to look at. And on the concrete in front of her, a fading, orange line.

* * *

**A/N** - Hello, dearies! I hope you liked that chapter! Sorry it took a little while. If anyone's worrying about Faith, I promise, everything will be ok in the end! More to come soon. As always, reviews are welcome and appreciated :-)


	7. Distant Apologies

The word "home" had lost most, if not all, of the affection Faith had once attached to it. The house she was living in was run by the walking dead; lifeless corpses who went about their day with no goals in mind, no hurdles to overcome. It wasn't like it used to be. In a matter of several weeks, the once happy existences of the Swan-Mills family had been chopped up and spit out. It doesn't matter how much they told Faith they loved her, it was their actions that meant more. She couldn't deny their rigid shoulders or their clenched jaws. They may have watched her grow taller, but every single one of them had overlooked her matured observant nature.

For two mornings in a row, Faith came downstairs to find her mother asleep on the couch. Yellow, cotton sheets were loosely draped over the blonde woman's curled form. In the fetal position, with her head facing away from Faith, Emma looked strangely peaceful in her slumber. Any traces of anger from her arguments with Regina were undetectable. Her naked shoulders were left bare by the covers, and her hair was stuck under her neck.

Before the others woke up, Faith sat in Henry's chair and observed her mom. The woman's years in Storybrooke had worn her out down, but not out. The one-inch scar she'd received nearly 15 years prior blended in with the gentle crow's feet. There was some gray in her mane here and there, but that too synthesized with her natural color. She was still quite slim for a retired sheriff/bail bondsman. All of the battles she'd endured, all of the rescue missions she'd been on weren't enough to kill Emma's fighting spirit. It was in the way she carried herself; there was an incredible amount of charisma and bravery. Emma rarely showed fear, especially not in front of her children. If there was one thing Faith admired about her mother, it was her unconditional willingness to put them first. That's why she'd ended up on the couch for two sleeps. And that's why it made it that much harder to say goodbye.

* * *

It was on Monday evening that Faith put her carefully organized plan into action. After dinner with the family, Henry and Maya went home, but not without a hug from Faith. She held onto them for as long as she could without arising any misgivings. If she wanted it to work, she had to be cool, calm, and collected. Before the young couple left for the night, Faith whispered something into Maya's stomach, something only the baby could hear; the unnamed infant responded with a gentle kick to Faith's ear. When Maya asked Faith what she'd said, the blonde chuckled, "It's a secret."

Dani, Dakota, and August were all spread about the house in their secluded areas. Dani used her free time in her room with her earbuds blasting One Republic, casually typing away at her computer. Without magic, she found another way to express what she felt: writing.

Dakota was in the living room with Emma, watching reruns of Grey's Anatomy. Meredith Grey's squeaky words of wisdom sank deep into Dakota's core as she listened to the doctor. The mother and daughter shared a bucket of mouth-watering, buttery popcorn; the house was submerged in the scent. Since Emma and Regina's spats, the two women had agreed on giving each other room to breathe.

Meanwhile, August was locked in his room, lifting weights. While he wouldn't tell anyone else, he wasn't just working out for himself; he was doing it so that he could be better for Faith. He thought, if he got into good enough shape, he could help his sister even more- run with her instead of behind her.

And, in the darker corner of the house, Regina brooded in the study. She'd been doing the same thing for the past couple of days: pacing, throwing fireballs into the fireplace, muttering to herself. She couldn't do it at the office, and she couldn't go to the mausoleum. The work room at home was the only place she could vent. It wasn't the most practical, she'd admit, but it was all she had.

Confident that everyone was preoccupied with their own lives, Faith speedily packed a backpack with clothes, the first aid kit from the bathroom cupboard, a flashlight, water bottles she'd been collecting under her bed, and August's charcoal hat. She even snuck into her mothers' room and swiped forty dollars from Emma's wallet, something she was, by no means, proud of. The map she'd seen in her dream had been recovered from the family car, and Faith folded it several times until it fit into her square back pocket.

As the sun slid down behind the horizon, and the animals prepared for rest, Faith opened her bedroom window. The muggy air hit Faith like a cannonball and almost knocked her backwards. Just lifting a leg over the windowsill felt as if she were wrestling against quick sand; the thick, swampy evening was already proving to be a bump in the road.

* * *

The news of Granny's indiscretions spread like wildfire throughout the town of Storybrooke. People who had once trusted the woman with their lives, now avoided her restaurant as if it were another curse. The linoleum table tops had never had such a shine, the napkin dispensers were fully stocked, the ketchup and mustard bottles were untouched, and Granny looked to be living up to the name "Widow Lucas." The older woman had unclipped her hair from the firm bun and let it do it as it pleased, her glasses were gone, and her crossbow was nowhere to be seen. She might as well have been a complete stranger.

Faith stood on the front steps of the diner and questioned whether or not to go through with it. On one hand, if she didn't, her plan would be missing a crucial element. On the other hand, if she did, she'd be the scab of the family, making contact with the woman and further violating her parent's wishes. In this case there was no middle ground; she had to do what she had to do. And, she was running out of time.. She had to get out of Storybrooke before it was too late.

In the old days, Granny greeted her customers with welcoming smiles and brought their drinks to them, having known them long enough. But now, she refused to even look at the door.

"We're closed," said Granny, a handkerchief held up to her nose. Her back was to Faith as she compulsively wiped down the counter.

"Then why are you here?" Faith wondered with a kindness she struggled to make genuine. She took careful steps towards Granny, and the closer she got, the harder her own heart pounded; her body was an earthquake of suspense.

Granny snatched a sideways glance of the woman, returned to her cleaning, then looked again. The last time she'd seen Faith, the youngest daughter of the Queen and Savior was just a child. The person before her, however, wasn't a kid anymore. Faith had Red's long legs, too long for her own good. She walked delicately without scuffing the floor or tripping over herself. With Regina's eyes, she hooked Granny's attention instantly, and with Emma's broad shoulders, she was somewhat intimidating.

"I'll be damned," Granny said with a hand on her hip. She quit her erratic sanitizing and examined the changes in Faith.

"That bad, huh?" the blonde woman cracked with a jaded smirk. Faith's cheeks flared as Granny shook her head; she couldn't tell if it was just the regular shock or if Granny was disappointed in her. Granny closed retrieved her jaw from the floor and motioned for Faith to take a seat on a stool. "I, uh, can't stay very long. I just… I wanted— I needed to ask you something."

"Anything," Granny agreed hastily. "Have you- have you seen Red? Have you talked to her?"

"I have," was all Faith revealed. "Um, I'm only here because… I don't have anyone to train me and I- I just have to know… do you know how I can control this?" Faith gestured to herself. "What do I have to do so I don't hurt anyone?"

Granny struggled for a minute as she let the question sink in. She'd hoped to hear some news about her granddaughter, anything. Red hadn't been answering any of her calls, she was never in her room when Granny tried to visit, and the younger woman hadn't shown up for work in days. But, this wasn't just about Red. Granny saw something spark in Faith's eyes, the pure panic of the upcoming full moon. She remembered seeing that same panic in Red all those years ago. "I'm not a wolf, honey," Granny said with great repentance. "All I can tell you, is that it's up to you."

"I'm… I'm not sure I understand," Faith muttered. "What is?"

Feeling great shame in her recent actions, Granny saw this as an opportunity to mend the ties that had been broken; or at least, a first step. Being mindful, Granny spoke with nothing but empathy. "Being a wolf isn't a choice, Faith. It's who you are when you're in wolf form… I'm sure Red told you about being the same…" Granny's last comments drowned in the silence around them.

Although not completely fulfilled with the response she'd been given, Faith didn't argue. The last few weeks of June had been jam-packed with cryptic messages, one more just got added to the list. "I should go," she said, already turning away.

Before she got to the door, Granny rushed out from behind the buffet. "Wait! Please," she implored to the back of Faith's head. "If you see Red, tell her… tell her I'm sorry and- and that I miss her."

"Sure thing," Faith fibbed through pursed lips. In truth, she still hadn't heard anything from Red- nothing. It was as if the woman had fallen off of the face of the earth. "I'll see you around."

* * *

The orange sorbet sky slowly shifted colors like a chameleon, changing to fit in with the rest of the environment. A violate haze enveloped the town and stars began popping up one by one. Faith used her flashlight to guide her down the road- the same road she'd been on many times before. If Red had been there, she would've gotten Faith to try using her own heightened eyesight. But Red wasn't there. And frankly, Faith didn't want to think about being a wolf.

Every tree she passed, every cherry bush her elbow brushed, became a memory engrained in her brain. She took mental snapshots of the entire forest as she neared the green traffic sign. She didn't have a cell phone or camera to capture anything with, only the muscles in her mind. With every step that she took, closer and closer to the town line, Faith wondered if anyone had noticed her absence. She hadn't heard any sirens yet or seen any magical clouds of smoke. There were no signs indicating that a search party had been issued. Then again, did she really think there would have been? After all, the last time Regina and Emma had talked about her, Regina said, "Faith could be dangerous!"

Faith walked down the solid line the separated the lanes as if it were a tightrope. She held her arms out like wings and balanced on the yellow segment. Close enough to the border, she turned her flashlight off and let her body lead her the rest of the way. She knew where she was headed- at least, until she crossed over.

Less than a meter away from the orange perimeter, Faith stopped. The last time she'd been there, she witnessed Mr. Gold getting stabbed with his own dagger. That's not the type of thing a person just forgets, no matter what else happens in their life. For her, she had to decider whether that line was a good omen, or a bad omen. A life had been taken there, but she wondered, could a new life begin there as well?

With a clear mind, Faith gripped the handle of the modern day torch, as well as a backpack string, and closed her eyes. In a world of darkness, she imagined that the feeling would be similar to getting a shot; a quick prick and then it was over. While she'd crossed the border once before, she couldn't help but overestimate the power it had.

There was no earthquake, no strike of lightning, and no magical forcefield. Leaving Storybrooke felt no different to actually living in it. Faith opened her eyes and glanced around; the line was three feet behind her. She did it. She actually did it. After one, last look at the road that lead into town, Faith's balled fists hung at her thighs. "I'm sorry," she murmured, knowing full well no one could hear her. Now, all she had to do was find her way to Boston.

* * *

It was bedtime for the Swan-Mills family. Dakota had already fallen asleep on the couch with her head on Emma's lap. The blonde mother hated to wake her up, so she did her best to carry her upstairs. The door to Dakota and Faith's room was closed, which was rather inconvenient at the moment. "Faith?" Emma spat in a strained tone. "Open up!" She waited a few seconds, but they were a few seconds she didn't have; the Savior used her own magic to walk through and set Dakota down in her bed. Like the mother she was, Emma pulled the blankets up under the brunette's chin, and kissed her bangs. She was about to do the same thing to Faith, when she spun around and saw that her baby girl's mattress was empty. Not panicking quite yet, Emma knocked on August's door. "Have you seen your sister?"

"Which one?" August chortled.

"Faith," said Emma, somewhat impatient.

"She's not in her room?"

Still keeping composure, Emma tried Dani next. "Hey, Kid, have you seen Faith?"

Dani furrowed her brow at her mother and pointed to her ears. "What?"

Emma yanked the headphones out and tersely ignored Dani's flinching. "Faith. Where is she?"

"I dunno. She should be in her room," Dani said, echoing her brother's thoughts.

Now, it was time to panic. Emma trampled through the second floor and searched every corner, under every bed- though she didn't know why-, and in every closet. When she didn't find her daughter on the first floor, Emma darted downstairs and began the process once more. Without any type of warning, she burst through the doors of the study and right into a baffled Regina's arms. "Faith's gone!"

"What?"

"She's not here!" Emma panted. "-I-I checked everywhere; she's not in her room or in any of other kids,' she's not in the living room or kitchen." She clutched the Queen's shoulders and shook her wife, who looked as frozen as Granny had the other day. "Regina! She's gone!"

* * *

**A/N** - Just a quick update for you all! I know the last few chapters have been really long, so I thought something smaller would be a nice change. Of course, the length of this update won't affect anything else. Oh, and someone mentioned something about Maine's weather in the summer; I _did_ check to see what it's like in June/July, and I saw a range of high 70's to low 80's. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying the story so far! Thanks for the follows/favorites! Lemme know what you're thinking! Much more to come :-)


	8. Reality Check

**A/N** - OH MY GOD LAST NIIIIIGGGHHHHTTTTTT! THE LAST 10 MINUTES KILLED ME!

So...I know these are usually at the end, I felt that I needed to include a **TRIGGER WARNING**. There is some mention of physical assault and sexual harassment. There isn't anything terribly graphic, but I thought you all should know ahead of time.

* * *

The outdoor lightbulb created a halo over the front porch, the only house that was still awake at two o'clock in the morning. Not even the toads were conscious at this ungodly hour. The desolate streets of Storybrooke were cloaked in dark shadows, making even the youngest of eyes strain to see through the night's purple skies. Emma's cell phone had died, and Faith had taken their only flashlight- a flaw in their utilities stock, Emma noted. Fireflies swooped by and landed on flower petals and leaves, creating a trail for the adults to follow. It was almost as if the insects understood that there was an emergency.

Without alarming the rest of the town's residents, Emma, Regina, David, Snow, and Henry scavenged every place imaginable. The five of them had split off and assigned areas, the ones they were most familiar with. Emma took the beach, Regina trailed through the part of the forest by the well, Henry hunted around the castle, and David and Snow run up and down Main Street. From behind the curtains of her room, Red watched the frantic grandparents turning in circles. Maya and the kids remained home, on the chance Faith showed up. After coming up empty handed, the battalion had agreed to meet back at base.

"Anything?!" a very pregnant Maya asked the returning family members; it took all of her strength to push herself out of Henry's chair. Her husband was just putting his gun back into his holster, the same gun that had previously belonged to Emma. His silence was enough of an answer

"Nothing," Emma voiced the unspoken thought they all shared. She and Regina were less then several inches apart, but in a way, they couldn't have been further from each other. There was a cold and distant tunnel in Regina's pupils- everyone saw.

David rubbed his tired eyes and fought against the burning yawn that seared his throat. When he noticed the unnerved expressions the kids all donned, he consulted with Emma with one look. "I'm sure I can get the rest of the council to assist us," he affirmed. "With more people covering more land, we're bound to find her."

"What if she doesn't want to be found?" Nine pairs of eyes glared at Daniela Swan-Mills as if she'd just uttered the greatest of evils.

"Daniela, please…"

"Mom, just wait a sec," Dani begged Regina. "What if she doesn't want to be found, because she'll come back when she wants to? She didn't leave a note, she didn't tell anyone of us," she gestured between her and the twins, "where she was going. She's an adult now, right? Doesn't that mean she thinks like one, too?"

David nodded along as if Dani's speculation was plausible, though deep down, he wasn't so sure. "That's one possibility," he lied.

"So what does that mean? We just stop looking for her?" Emma asked incredulously.

"Of course not-" David's objection was cut short by a fierce pounding on the door; the whole house practically shook with every knock. No one was expecting visitors, especially not this one.

Emma was unable to form coherent sentences at the sight of her… half aunt/best friend Red. "What's going on?" the concerned woman beseeched. "I know something's up. Snow and Da- David don't just skip through the streets at two in the morning for no reason." Red welcomed herself into the woman's home and pushed her way into the living room. Her heart skipped several beats when she saw David, though she swallowed her own pride. "What's wrong?" she asked the rest of the room.

"Faith's gone," Dakota informed from her spot on the couch. August had his arm around his twin sister, comforting her. She'd been a wreck since the moment August had woken her up.

"Gone? Whaddu you mean 'gone?'" It didn't make any sense to Red. Why would Faith be gone?

"She's not here," Dani explained bluntly. "She ran away."

Red released loud and long exhale of pent up oxygen. "She's not, like, hiding anywhere?"

Emma gave Red one of the most murderous expressions she had ever summoned, nothing but ire coursing through her nervous system. "Actually, she's just relaxing in the forest having a beer and a smoke. Jesus Christ! No, she's not in town!" she snapped manically.

"Ma?"

"WHAT?!" Emma turned on Dani with ice in her veins.

The oldest Swan-Mills daughter shrunk away from the blonde and fell onto August. "I- I- I was gonna say you could, uh, try what you did last time," Dani stammered, her teeth chattering. "Um, you know, when you found Faith."

"What is she talking about?" Regina asked, speaking for the first time all night. She'd been in a state of trauma for the past couple of hours- one she was just beginning to return from. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Emma belittled, having no actual memory of what Dani was referring to due to her adrenaline rush.

"No, Ma, you remember." August supported his sister until she was standing again and lingered briefly to assure her balance was restored. "We were outside and you did some magic thing. You just, like, stopped, and then you knew where she was."

Emma ran cold fingers through her knotted curls and paced in front of the fireplaces, never-caring that everyone was watching her. "You sensed her magic?" Regina inferred.

"Um…"

"That," Red jumped in, "or she's got more wolf in her than we thought."

* * *

"Miss?" an older woman with soft wrinkles in her forehead poked Faith with her cane. A floral scarf was tied around her hair and she had a hunch that caused her to touch noses with the ground. Her salmon parka kept dry under the transparent poncho, a clown suit to others. "Miss?" she tried again, only this time she prodded the stranger's stomach.

Faith shot into the air, five feet off of the metal bench at the bus stop. Her face was covered in water, her bare legs dripped with rain, and August's beanie had absorbed a fair amount of liquid. Murky fog surrounded her like a shroud and all she could see was the odd woman bent over her, as well as the mis-colored irises; one was green and the other was blue. "Sorry," she said through a coughing fit.

Using her manners, Faith made room for the senior citizen in front of her, who clearly had trouble remaining upright. Throwing on the one hooded sweatshirt she'd packed, Faith mentally berated herself for not checking the weather before leaving. "Miss?"

The gentlewoman had retrieved a square patch of material from her faux leather purse, and waved it at Faith. "Thank you," the blonde woman said in mild disbelief. The last time she'd been outside of Storybrooke, no one so much as smiled at her, let alone offered her any sort of assistance. With great dignity and tact, Faith dabbed her forehead and cheek with the dry cloth and handed it back to the lady.

"No, no, no," the civilian refused. Even in that one tine word, Faith could detect some type of accent. It was sharp, but understandable. Thick, but not totally impenetrable. "You wait for bus?" Her "r" rolled seamlessly, and her slight lisp only emphasized her vulnerability.

_Russian? _Faith thought to herself. What she actually expressed was, "Yeah. You?"

Her new friend nodded with a gentle smile and opened her bag once again. This time, she pulled out a polaroid picture and held it up to Faith's eyes; it was a snapshot of Times Square lit up by the neon signs and traffic lights. Hordes of people crowded together in the frame, and somehow, Faith could still pick out a yellow Taxi cab. She'd never been to the Big Apple, but that one picture summarized what she thought it would be like. "I go New York," the woman said. "Daughter, she is wait there."

Tempted to ask how the lady had gotten to Maine, Faith thought it best to let it go. She listened enthusiastically to the woman describe her grown child; there was such adoration in her voice, such love in her smile. Karen was her name, and she was some kind of lawyer. From the sound of it, the mother wasn't sure exactly what kind. She went on about her grandchildren, Lily, Porter, and Samuel. They were all in grade school, and they were all quite intelligent.

The one time there was a pause, Faith offered her hand. "I'm Faith," she introduced.

"Marta."

This is how Faith made her first friend outside of her hometown; right here on the black, curved bench under a weeping sky. Everything around her was a cloud of white smog. Nothing, not even the trees, could be seen. She felt the even ground beneath her feet, smelled the Lavender perfume Marta wore, and listened to the cars that zoomed by without slowing down. The whooshing and whirring of speeding vehicles took Faith's attention away from her old home and placed it on the prospect of a new one. The good news was, she'd made it through the first night, no matter if it was on a public piece of furniture. The bad news was, she had one less day before the next full moon. And she had no idea where or how she was going to prepare.

* * *

Dani and the twins kept track of the time by who fought. In the beginning, it was Emma and Red- that lasted about 16 minutes. In the middle, it was Emma and David- their spat didn't take long, eight minutes at the most. And, in the end, it was Emma and Regina; theirs had just passed an hour when Henry raised his voice. It was clear to everyone who the constant was in all three. Dakota and August had resisted the exhaustion for as long as they could, but around six a.m., the two of them conked out on the couch. Dani, on the other hand, was still wide awake, actively advocating for her lost sister. During it all, Red and David had done their damnedest to avoid all contact; a mile of distance between the two. She stood over in the doorway, her arms crossed defensively, and only addressed the rest of the family. He was by the nook with Snow and Johanna, much like he was when Granny first told them.

Emma had tried sensing Faith again, whatever that meant. She concentrated on her daughter's untouched magic, per Regina's request. She didn't know what that magic would feel like, or when she would know that she reached her, but in an effort to dodge further yelling, she give it her best shot. When that didn't work, Emma followed Red's instructions: she focused on Faith's animal nature. If Emma had any wolf in her- which she was sure she didn't- it wouldn't be a problem locating her own pup. To everyone's disappointment, including her own, Emma was unable to detect Faith.

With every hour that passed without word from the youngest, tensions ran higher and the stakes were raised. Emma was fed up with toying around, she wanted hard answers. They weren't getting anywhere with magic or werewolf-ness.

"Ma, this isn't working," Henry concluded after Emma's singular rant.

"No shit," the former sheriff grumbled. She ignored Regina's rebuking stare and tried to relax. "I'm out of ideas." With the sun peeking out from behind the clouds, the morning had officially arrived. Faith could have been halfway across the country for all Emma knew- however rational.

Dakota and August were curled together under the blankets she and Emma had used to watch TV. Johanna and Dani were clearly drained, but being the oldest, they soldiered on. "I'm sure the rest of the town is awake by now," David commented. "We can go around the stores and see what they know."

"If anyone had seen Faith, they would have told us," said Emma.

"Ma, maybe… maybe we're going about this the wrong way. Maybe the answer isn't a magical one… maybe it's the opposite." Henry chewed on his nails as he began formulating a new idea. It was pressure enough without the rest of the room gawking at him. "Mom," he posed to Regina, "when I ran away the first time, where did I go?"

"Boston," Emma and Regina said together. As if it finally dawned on them, they grabbed each other's hand for the first time in days. "Oh my Gods," Regina gasped. "She crossed the border."

The brunette began to shake uncontrollably, no matter how tight Emma held on to her. "Mom, breathe," Henry commanded delicately. "Think, _why_ did I leave Storybrooke?"

"To find Emma," Regina recalled, having controlled her heart rate. "But, Henry, Emma is here; she's always been here so far as Faith is concerned."

"True, but what if she's not looking for Ma," Henry went on. "What if she's looking for something else?"

"Like what? What could possibly want that she doesn't have here?" Regina was baffled. It was all so absurd. They had a home for Faith right there in Storybrooke, she had a family. What in the world would she be so desperate for, that she ran away?

"There's only one way to find out." Emma cracked her knuckles obsessively, causing everyone around her to wince in vicarious pain. "Gina, we're going to Boston."

* * *

Faith boarded the bus with Marta around nine o'clock. She'd never used public transportation before, though she'd seen it on TV and in movies. Plastic, faded-blue chairs lined the windows with a few passengers sprinkled around. There was an empty space towards the front with a sign that read, "Reserved for mothers with carriages." Mud from shoes left a trail of prints down the aisle, and Faith had a feeling Regina would have been disgusted.

Once Marta had paid her fare, Faith took out the money she'd taken from Emma. She'd asked the driver how to get to Boston, and how much it would cost. Faith had a map of the country, but the not the bus routes. Unaccustomed to so many foreigners, and in an effort to come across as a mature adult, Faith sounded as much like Regina as possible.

"You do know this is a city bus, right?" the driver droned, most of her body leaning against the large wheel. Faith bit her lip and her nine year-old persona dug its claws in her current one. "You'll have to transfer a couple of times, but I'd say about twenty dollars. Might take four or five hours at the most," the driver guessed, a little less hostilely. Her name tag read "Janice," though she didn't seem very gracious. If anything, she seemed rather apathetic about the entire bit.

"And that'll get me all the way?"

"It should." Without waiting for Faith to take a seat, Janice drove off; the hunkering automobile growled as she revved up the hill.

There was an empty seat next to Marta, which the older woman gestured for Faith to take. The blonde had been raised never to trust strangers, but to be fair, she hadn't been around enough to make her own judgements. Everyone in Storybrooke had been there for years, and there were never any new visitors. So far, Faith didn't see any reason why she couldn't trust a sweet old woman.

"You want?" Marta, who may have well had an entire convenient store in her bag, pulled out a bag of candy.

"Oh, uh, thanks." Faith pulled out a single mint and closed her hand around it. Trust was one thing; food was another.

As the bus drove further away from her home, Faith stared out the window and toke mental notes of everything she could see through the fog: towns, empty parks, water towers. It all looked so much like Storybrooke.

* * *

Emma and Regina had bumped into each other at least six or seven times in the course of their packing. August had donated his duffel back to the cause and the two women tossed in whatever they saw around them: sweaters, jeans, socks, undergarments. They didn't know how long they'd be gone, what they'd need. All they knew was that they had to go, and they had to go soon.

Dani and the twins begged to tag along, but Regina and Emma both put their foot down. "You're staying with Henry and Maya, and that's it."

"But, Ma, we can help!" Dakota insisted, having woken up from her nap.

"And you'll do that by keeping watch here. If Faith comes back while we're gone, she's gonna need a family to come back to," Emma said, flustered, but still glued together.

"But-"

"NO!" Regina growled, her turn to scare them. "I'm sorry," she sighed after witnessing their reactions. Dani stood in front of the twins protectively. "You _have_ to stay here. We need to know that you're safe."

"Gina, we gotta go." Emma had her wife's purse and the suitcase, car keys in her pocket. She glanced around the room- at the family that had gathered together for the sake of Faith. She looked at Red and then at her father, unable to give any sort of advice. The sunlight was already blinding the group, and that was a sign it was time for Emma and Regina to leave. "Dani, Kids," the blonde knelt down in front of them, "we love you. We're gonna be back, ok? Faith too." Regina's rigid form stood beside her, sobbing on the inside. "Gina?" Emma intertwined her fingers with her lover's.

"Emma," Red stepped forward from the clump of people. "When you see her, let her know I'm sorry and… I didn't mean what I said before."

Before Emma could ask what Red meant, Henry and Maya gave their mothers something. The sheriff removed a small picture from his wallet and pushed it into Regina's hands. "Tell her that her niece, Malina misses her. We'll be here."

After saying the proper goodbyes, giving the proper hugs and whatnot, Emma and Regina were throwing themselves into the car. The rest of the family flooded out of the front door and watched from the porch as Emma put the key in the ignition. The glare of the sun blocked her view, but she could have sworn she saw David put his hand on Red's shoulder.

With the click of their seat belts and the beeping of the dashboard, Emma began pulling out of the driveway. Anyone would have thought she and Regina were heading off to war with their farewell party. It was almost ridiculous how many people were crammed together on their deck.

"Em," Regina's hand slipped onto the blonde's. "We're going to find her, right?" Any and all traces of her temper had dissolved and all that was left was maternal desire.

Cruising down the block at 10 miles an hour, Emma slowed to a stop at the intersection. There were no kids in the backseat to be seen through the rearview mirror. Faith wasn't sandwiched between August and Dakota and she wasn't complaining about the lack of leg room. There was no giddy laughter or playful teasing. It was just the Queen and the Savior.

In the seconds before traffic light flickered to green, Emma gave Regina a comforting squeeze. "'Course we are, Gina. Family always finds each other."

* * *

After three transfers and five hours and fifty four minutes, Faith had finally arrived at the revered Boston she'd so often heard Emma speak of. It was after the first bus exchange that Faith had to say goodbye to her first, and for the time being, only friend. For good luck, Marta had passed on the safety pin that held her scarf together. She blessed it with a Russian chant and Faith had accepted it graciously, even if she wasn't sure what it meant.

Boston was no New York, and it sure as hell wasn't Storybrooke. For someone new to the city, it was overwhelming nonetheless. There were cars _everywhere_, people _everywhere_, apartments up and down the block, and the air was just slightly cooler than Maine. There was no one that Faith recognized, no street signs that could clearly indicate where she was exactly. What she _did_ know, was that she was starving. The grumbling in her stomach had gotten progressively louder, and progressively more painful with every bus stop.

As she walked about the unfamiliar neighborhoods, Faith did the math in her head. She'd spent more than half of her money on her journey, and that was only for the transportation. As of 2:39 p.m., Faith had 12 dollars on her. Considering she had no idea that a charter bus would have used up all of her resources, Faith was just lucky she'd found a city bus.

There was a small diner at the end of the sidewalk and it reminded Faith of Granny's. It was a quaint little establishment, one room aside from the kitchen. Family pictures hung on the un-matching, painted walls. Drawings made from children were framed as if they had been created by Picasso, and flyers for local businesses were taped by the front counter. The booths were tattered red leather, clearly worn from years of use. Grease and ketchup stained the tiled floors, and the fake wood was chipping off of the table tops. But, all that mattered to Faith was that she could get a whole meal for four dollars, and that the owners greeted her with a smile.

After putting in her order for a hotdog and fries, Faith politely approached the cashier- a friendly gentleman whose glasses were thicker than Texas. One hearing aide stuck out from his left ear, the clear wire poking out just slightly. "May I use your phone? Please?" The man reached below and set a rotary dial phone on the bar, something Faith had never seen in real life. "Thanks," she said as she dialed the memorized number.

"Hello?"

Faith's heart melted at the sound of Dani's voice. "Hey, Dani."

* * *

They'd been driving for almost three hours. The only time Emma stopped was to fill up the tank with gas. Other than that, Mrs. and Mrs. Swan-Mills were on a mission to get their daughter back, and they weren't going to stop for anything. While Regina had initially wanted to teleport, Emma still maintained the last bit of her sanity and reminded her wife it was too big of a risk. As if it wasn't already enough of a wild story that they were going after their werewolf daughter, conceived by magic.

They'd just crossed the border into New Hampshire when Regina's phone rang through the lonely car. "Dani? What?! She did?! She is?!"

"What? Is it Faith?" Emma asked with a sidewards glance at her wife.

"Are you sure? All right, call us if it happens again. Love you too, dears. Bye." Regina clicked the red button on her device and nodded to herself. "Faith's safe. She didn't say where she was, but the kids think she's in Boston as well. It's the only place she could be."

"What else?" Emma begged hungrily.

"That was it, that was all she told Dani." Regina let out a long, relieved sigh and dropped her head against the neck rest.

For a few minutes, the two of them let the silence take control of their car ride. It had been an eventful few days between the couple; words had been exchanged, insults had been hurled at one another, doubt was cast upon each other. The strain of Faith's new identity had taken a harder toll on their relationship than they had realized. Of course, they'd been through much worse; however, they'd also survived through much better. In their years of parenting and the lessons they'd learned, absolutely nothing had prepared them for such a taxing revelation.

Regina, finally able to breathe once more, watched her partner speed down the highway. Emma's lightning ringlets were wrapped in a messy bun, her green teeshirt had a coffee stain on her chest, and her beige shorts were frayed at the edges. The woman Regina had fallen in love with- who had healed her blackened heart- was sitting right next to her, and yet, there was still so much she didn't know about her.

"Gina, you're staring," said Emma, never taking her eyes off of the road. "Gina?"

"What? Oh, right. I'm sorry, it's just…" Regina trailed off into her own thoughts, ones she didn't know how to verbalize.

"It's just…?"

"Oh, it's nothing, I suppose."

After harnessing all of her concentration on the road for the past several hours, Emma craned her neck and stole a peek at her radiant lover. Even in a nanosecond image, Emma could see the combination of dread and sorrow Regina was holding in. It had just struck the blonde that Regina hadn't shed a tear since earlier that morning. She'd expected her wife to have lost it by now, the same way she wanted to let it go herself. But, somehow, Regina was staying composed. She sat with her back against the seat, her feet flat on the floor, and her hands in her lap- just as regal as ever. It was somewhere around Augusta that Regina had let go of Emma.

"You know we've still got some time before we get there. If there's something on your mind…"

Regina's forehead creased as she mentally pleaded for Emma's forgiveness. "It's just… I know you don't like to talk about it, and I know it's off topic, but… I was merely wondering… how many times did you... run away from your- your foster homes?" Although the two of them weren't touching at all, Regina could feel Emma stiffen in the driver's seat. Her grip tightened on the leather steering wheel and the engine groaned as she pushed down on the accelerator. "I'm sorry, Emma. I didn't mean to upset you. I only wanted to know so-"

"Eight," Emma replied robotically.

"I'm sorry?"

"I ran away eight times. But, that was just from the Keaton's. I split from the Hubbard's twice, escaped from the Norton's once, and left the Davidson's four times." Not particularly proud of her past, Emma knew she couldn't just leave it at that. "I had good reasons; no one ever believed me."

Horrified at her wife's candid admission, Regina pressed her palm against her chest. The beating of her own heart startled her with how aggressively it hammered on. Over the decades, her imagination had concocted dozens of possible scenarios in which Emma had to experience. None of them- absolutely none of them- had left Regina without further remorse. "I- I'll believe you… if you want to tell me." In their entire relationship together, she'd had only ever received bits and pieces of Emma's life in the system. The blonde never talked about it for two reasons: she'd hated her time in foster care with a burning passion, and she knew that bringing up what she'd been through would only make Regina- and her parents- guilty. It just didn't occur to her that Regina or the Charmings would ever actually want to know.

"Gina, I dunno. It's been a while and- and, you know, we're almost there-"

Regina cut Emma off with a simple kiss. While the blonde piloted the automobile, Regina peeled off one hand from the helm, pressed her lips against the back of it, and held on tight; she had no intentions of letting go again. "I'm listening."

* * *

After depleting her monetary sources to only eight dollars, Faith meandered under the midday sunlight. Where she was going was not a concern for the time being, as she was starting to trust her instincts. Free of the confines of her home, Faith didn't have anyone telling her what to do. She walked where she pleased, and she crossed the streets without having to let someone know when.

Her entire trek through the city was surprisingly peaceful for the young woman. The sidewalks in front of apartments had been swept thoroughly, as if each complex had a round-the-clock custodian. Lazy cats stood watch on the front steps; their tails thrashing up and down and their piercing eyes sent shivers down Faith's back.

A couple with a stroller passed by the blonde woman and she got a quick glance of the child within the buggy. The baby couldn't have been more than a couple months old; it was bald and small enough that it took up less than half of the bed; pudgy fingers opened and closed around a pacifier. In yellow clothing, Faith wasn't sure the gender, but the infant was adorable any which way.

When she got tired of walking aimlessly through the blocks, Faith stumbled upon a grand, lively park surrounded in lush greenery. There were fountains in the heart of the estate that shot water 25 feet into the air. Around it were smaller sprinklers, which children and young teens merrily skipped through. A winding path curved into a large oval and bordered the entire garden, trees and park benches made it look like Central Park.

Alone on a wooden bench, Faith was left with just her thoughts. It had been a whirlwind day; she still couldn't believe she'd actually left Storybrooke. It was evident in her siblings' excited tones that she'd caused quite the stir in the family. According to Henry, Emma and Regina had left early that morning with Boston as their destination. Faith neither confirmed nor denied where she was. She'd apologized for leaving so suddenly, without saying goodbye, but they wouldn't have it. She hadn't meant to hurt them like that, but she'd rather them safe than in a hospital bed. Whether she'd return after the full moon was yet to be determined.

While Faith absentmindedly stared out over the plaza, a man in a tapered, gray business suit approached her, briefcase in hand. He was young yet, possibly in his early 30's. His straight, white teeth were bared as he smiled genially and his slicked back hair reflected the sun. A red handkerchief poked out from his breast pocket and a silver tie clip kept the man's neckwear from flying in the wind. His white, button down shirt accentuated his slim form, and his sports coat put emphasis on his broad shoulder and round biceps.

He stood at the end of the bench and waited for Faith to notice him. When she failed to acknowledge his presence, the man waved cautiously. "Miss? Is this seat taken?"

"What? Oh, uh, no, go ahead," Faith shrugged. She made room for the well-dressed individual, but returned to her daydreaming.

For a little while, neither of them said anything. The stranger had pulled out a book from his leather bag and seemed rather engrossed in his story. His brown Oxfords were tied perfectly, and his magenta socks were visible. Faith didn't see any reason to worry.

"I didn't realize you were allowed to advertise in such a public setting," he finally whispered.

Looking around for another possibility as to who he was talking to, Faith searched the man's face. "I'm sorry?"

"I always thought you all were street-bound. When did that change?"

"Sir?"

The man in the suit closed his book and checked his watch nonchalantly. "I've got about 45 minutes before I need to return to work. How much will that cost me?"

"I'm sorry, I think you've got the wrong person," Faith said apologetically, though she had no need to be.

She tried to get up and walk away, but the man was persistent. He grabbed her by the elbow and tugged her back onto the bench with enough force to give her whiplash. "They told me you'd say that," he purred. The disgusting human now had both hands lock around Faith's wrists and ignored her writhing. "Whaddu say we go back to my place? It's only a block away." Absolutely terrified and revolted, Faith attempted to rip free from his hold, only to be pulled back again. "Wait 'til we're alone, babe. No need to make a scene."

This time, when Faith fought against the shameless stranger, she summoned all of her wolfy strength and aimed it at the man. Not only did she break away from his grubby little hands, but he flew into the air and landed several feet away from the bench; he hit the ground face first, moaning in pain.

Faith didn't stay for more than a second before she bolted through the park. With her long legs, she made it halfway to the other side before a three officers on bikes trailed after her, shouting for her to stop. As fast as she was, there was no way she could outrun all three of them. Passerby paused and stared at the frantic woman; some people took pictures, some recorded videos. Kids hid behind their parents and caught segments of the entire incident. Dogs of all sizes and breeds barked and howled, their cries served as a chorus in Faith's defense. They sensed her wolf and they smelled her fear.

With nowhere else to run, Faith was cornered by the authorities, shaking in her shoes. Afraid of every single male-bodied species around her, she started to tear up. She didn't know why they were targeting her, when she was the one who was attacked.

In their uniforms, the officers dismounted their cycles. The youngest of them walked up to Faith, as he recognized that traumatized expression. "We're not going to hurt you," he assured, placing one foot in front of the other. "We're not even going to cuff you," he promised. He held his hands out in front of him to show that he had no intention of harming her with metal or any other weapon. The closer he got, the louder her whimpering became. "We just want to help."

* * *

Emma had just finished telling her story when they arrived in Boston. It'd been a grueling hour for the woman, digging up memories she'd long since buried. The very moment they entered the city, Emma's entire demeanor had shifted. She desperately wanted to go on as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't just broken Regina's heart further. Her wife had asked her a question, Emma had answered, and that was it. There was no need to linger on the topic. The only thing that mattered now was their daughter.

In the midst of flicking away the teardrops that had fallen, Regina's phone rang once again. She only answered after clearing her throat and wiping her nose. "Dani? Oh, hello. Yes, this is she. I'm sorry? She what? Yes. Yes, of course. We're on our way. Thank you."

"Who was that?" Emma questioned in a flat tone. She'd been unbelievably stoic for the duration of her testimonies, she wasn't about to explode just yet. "Gina?"

"That was the Boston Police Department," Regina murmured. "They have Faith."

* * *

"We've contacted your parents, Miss. They're on their way," an understanding cop informed Faith. Just as the others had said, she wasn't arrested. As it turns out, the one who spoke with her had witnessed the ordeal from across the path. He'd seen the man snatch Faith and had jumped on his bike the moment it happened.

Faith had been escorted to the nearest police station; a cramped building filled with dozens of on-duty officers, phones ringing off the hooks, arguments between convicts and cops, and a foul odor of old gym socks. Black and blue suits passed the row of chairs Faith had been ushered to, and all she could do was wait. The man who had brought her in conducted his work from behind the front desk and kept an eye on the fearful woman. With a full head of hair and hardly any wrinkles or laugh lines, one would assume he was in his late 20's. He stood tall and proud, ready to help someone. He had a sister around Faith's age, and that was all he could think about.

"Faith Swan-Mills," he announced courteously, his raspy voice cut through the beeping of computers. The blonde woman rose from her seat and moved towards the counter, no longer in control of her own movements. August's beanie stuck out of her back pocket and her bag hung over one shoulder. She made no effort to say anything when she reached the desk. All she did was read his name tag: Kyle. "Are you comfortable filing a report?" he asked. He offered her a clipboard and a pen, which she numbly took hold of. "If you need any help…" Faith had already turned away and found her chair again.

The pen in Faith's hand kept slipping out of her grasp and her hand trembled without her consent. She'd gotten as far as writing "Fai" when a scribbly line of ink was drawn down the edge of the paper. In the early stages of a complete meltdown, Faith's chest constricted and an invisible hand curled around each of her lungs. Without realizing it, she began rocking back and forth, back and forth. No one else seemed to notice… except for one.

Kyle came rushing up with the paper bag his lunch had previously been in and knelt down in front of her. And, while Faith initially cringed away from him, she made use of the bag by breathing in it.

As the paper crinkled with every expansion and compression, the doors to the station burst open and two overwrought women floundered in. Kyle was on his feet in no time and made note of their frenetic looks. He left Faith briefly and shuffled to the front of the room. "We're looking for our-"

"Daughter?" Kyle finished the brunette's proclamation. "Are you Faith's parents?" The other lady nodded violently. "She's right over here."

"Moms!" Faith cried the moment she heard their voices. She dropped the clipboard onto the grungy floor and flew into their arms. Her mothers showered her with kisses; superfluous relief brought on even more tears.

"Faith, what happened?!" Emma shook her daughter's face.

Kyle stood in the background and watched as Faith drowned in her own lack of cognizance. "Ma'ams?" he tilted his head. "We have a man in custody. A… witness claims that he assaulted your daughter."

Regina's eyes widened, but a fire ignited in Emma's. "Where is he?!" she demanded forcefully. "Tell me where he is!" she barked at the cop, a bit of her old profession crept into her audacious address of an authority.

"I'm afraid I can't do anything until she writes an official complaint. I'm sure if-"

"Is that him?" Emma cut Kyle off, her cold gaze targeted towards the best dressed man in the room. His arms were behind his back and silver cuffs gleamed off his wrists, a sinister smirk painted across his face. The way he carried himself, Emma just knew. Before her family or Kyle could stop her, Emma flew through the crowded space and knocked the cocky man into the wall. "Get up," she sneered. "Up!" Fellow coworkers ceased their mutterings and waited for each other to intervene. Emma didn't wait for the miserable figure to rise on his own and grabbed fistfuls of his collar. With his back pressed up against the concrete slab, Emma was ready to inflict a-whole-nother world of pain, should he make a move. "Next time you so much as look at another woman, remember this." She gave no warning as she retracted her leg and swung at his crotch. The blonde let go of his jacket and walked away, feeling a light load lifted from her shoulders; she didn't have to see the man fall to his knees to know he'd given into the pain.

"Ma'am-"

"Come on, Faith." Emma brushed past Kyle's novice attempt at regaining control of the situation. "We're going home."

* * *

**A/N** - So, like I said, it wasn't extremely violent, but really just wanted to give a heads up. I know that was a substantial update, and I apologize if it was too much. The purpose of writing that particular part will be further explored in the next chapter, and I promise it won't be as heavy or as long. I'll explain things that were touched upon in this chapter (Emma's time in foster care). But again, the next one won't be as dark. Thanks for the follows/favorites/feedback so far!


	9. Victim of Circumstance

Emma and Regina didn't have to tell Faith twice. Their daughter slid into the backseat of the car without any arguments or protests; she could hardly muster a single sentence. Shocked to her core, Faith rode along in silence with her head against Regina's arm. The brunette had taken the empty spot beside the young woman and assumed "Mommy Mode." While her daughter may have given the entire family heart attacks after running off, Faith had just experienced something no one deserved. The mothers had made silent pact that the chastisements would happen later. Right now, their child needed her parents.

It was dinner time when the three women arrived home. Regina's right shoulder was tear-stained, and Faith felt as if she'd just woken up from a twisted nightmare. Unfortunately for her, she quickly came to the conclusion that she hadn't dreamt it; it actually happened.

When Faith stepped out of the car, she was ambushed by almost a dozen family members. They all galloped towards her, ready to embrace her, but Faith cowered away from them. None of them had been told about Faith's incident, as neither Emma or Regina felt comfortable saying it over the phone. All that they knew was that Faith had been found.

Like Moses and the Red Sea, the clan parted for Faith as Regina helped her inside. The younger children, and the adults, all looked to Emma for some sort of explanation, but the woman shook her head. How do you tell your kids their youngest sister was assaulted?

At Regina's suggestion, everyone other than the Swan-Mills brood dispersed to their own homes. They welcomed Faith back, let her know they were glad she was safe, and left with a heavier heart than when they'd arrived that morning. Whatever was going on, they'd find out sooner or later.

With everyone goggling at Faith, the young woman shrunk in her seat. Shame, mortification, remorse, fright- she was feeling it all. She knew she owed her brothers and sisters some sort of clarification, but she just… couldn't. Her throat closed up on her; she couldn't even whine.

"Kids, why don't you go to your rooms for a minute," Emma said. It wasn't a request; it was an order. Dani opened her mouth to object, but quickly changed her mind once she received a glare from Regina. Dani and the twins stomped up the stairs, obviously angered that they couldn't be present. "All the way!" Emma called up the steps, sure that they were listening like last time. And, she was right. After her second command, she heard their feet drag across the hallway and their doors slam shut.

"Faith, sweetie, do you want to talk about it?" Regina wondered in a soothing tone. She reached to pat her daughter's knee, but Faith pulled away. It wasn't just men she was afraid of right now, it was everyone.

There was a small hole in the fabric of the couch, which served as a focal point for Faith. The strings were stretching and breaking apart, white cotton tried to emerge from the opening; it rather described how she was feeling. She pictured it exploded any second now and puffs of cotton falling to the floor.

Henry and Maya stood together directly across from Faith. His brother radar was on overload; he knew something had happened, and he knew his parents were keeping it from him. For Maya, she's seen that distraught look before, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions. Until Faith said it, Maya would remain open minded.

"Baby girl, I know you've been through a lot… but can you try and talk to us?" Emma asked. She knelt down on one knee in front of Faith so that she wasn't looking down at the woman. Faith seemed intimidated enough without her mother towering over her.

Suddenly wanting to cover all exposed skin, Faith grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over her legs, no matter how hot it had been outside. Her shifty eyes were not lost on Henry, and her abrupt movements acted as red lights. The way she avoided all skin-contact, the way she held herself in her own arms… Henry wasn't stupid. "Faith, were you—"

"No!" the sensitive woman spat viciously. It was the first time she'd said anything since leaving the Boston police station. "No," she repeated.

"What happened?" Henry pressed, his blood boiling. Maya touched his arm as a reminder to stay calm, but the sheriff overlooked it. All he cared about was his sister's safety and well-being.

"I made a mistake, ok?!" Faith snarled. "It was stupid and- and I shouldn't have left, all right? I know! If- if I'd stayed here, nothing would have happened!"

"Faith, you can't blame yourself for what other people do," Emma said with as much delicacy as she could summon. "You didn't know what was out there."

Emma was right: Faith hadn't a clue of the real world's darkness. Storybrooke wasn't exactly rainbows and unicorns, but their idea of "evil" was a lot different than the rest of society's. She'd never been exposed to humanity's non-magical scumbags. She'd never experienced that kind of malevolence before. And, while she wasn't completely naive or oblivious, there was a fair amount of life she hadn't explored.

"Can you… can you tell us why you left, dear?" Regina masked her maternal anguish with a curiosity that very few would have been able to see through. Now that Faith was home, all Regina wanted to do was hold her baby.

Faith let out an amused scoff and rolled her eyes, "Does it matter?"

"Of course it does! Faith, sweetie," Regina turned her whole body so that she was facing her daughter, "if you tell us, we can make it better."

"It's not like I scraped my knee, Mom. You can't just kiss it and the pain will stop," Faith muttered.

"Then what is it like?" Emma probed quietly. "Baby girl-"

"Stop calling me that!" Faith leapt off of the couch and into a power stance, her arms folded snugly over her chest. "I'm not a baby anymore. I'm not… I'm not a little kid."

"No, you're not, are you…" Regina breathed. Troubled, she stood to match Faith's posture and so did Emma. It was as if it were only the three of them; Henry and Maya were almost nonexistent in their moment.

"I heard what you said about me," Faith grumbled. "Super hearing, remember?" The heat of Regina's gaze burned a hole through her daughter's head, but Faith remained composed. "I know what you think about all of this… about what I am- that I'm dangerous, that I would hurt my siblings. Yeah, wayta follow through with your promise, Mom." Her words bounced off of a thick layer of bitterness, but just barely; they were nearly submerged in the acidity of her torment.

Humiliated at her own sentiments, Regina fell back onto the sofa and pressed her hands against her forehead as if she were praying. She wasn't about to make excuses for her behavior, she knew she'd been acting unreasonably. She just hadn't stopped to think about what the ramifications her actions would bring onto her child. "Faith, I'm sorry you overheard all of that. You have to understand-"

"I get it, Mom. That's the problem! I _do_ understand! I didn't ask for any of this any more than you did! It's not like I wanted to be a monster! But I can get over that… you're the one who can't," Faith huffed. "Everyone- Ma, Henry and Maya, Dani and the twins, Aunt Red, Grandma and Grandpa- has been having trouble, but they're not calling me a safety hazard! And it's not because they know I'd hear them; it's because they're willing to see past it." On a roll, Faith couldn't stop just yet. She felt as though she could run a marathon with the all of the epinephrine streaming through her system. "Mom, here's the thing: I don't care how or why I'm like this. I don't care if my great grandfather was a wolf or if my great-great-uncle's cousin's sister was one. The point is, _I am_, and I've been working my ass off to make sure no one gets hurt."

Regina listened to her daughter and gave her her undivided attention. What Faith was saying was real, and it took courage for her to be so honest; Regina got that. She even accepted the disappointed expressions from her wife and son; she felt that she deserved them. "I know you have, dear," she finally exhaled.

With her blood pressure returning to normal, Faith released her tight fists and sat across from her mother. "Mom, I'm sorry I ran away. It wasn't the right answer, and I'll do everything to make up for it. But, just… not here."

Regina's eyebrows scrunched together and Emma mirrored her wife's reaction. "What?" the women asked together.

"I've only got a week until the next full moon, guys. I _need_ to get to ready, but I need to do it somewhere else. I'm not leaving town again," she said quickly at Regina's grimace. "I'm gonna try and talk to Red, see if she'll train me." Giving up wasn't the solution Faith wanted to settle on. She was going to make contact with Red once more. "And… I'm gonna see if Granny'll let me stay at the Inn. Just until I know that no one will get hurt."

"Faith, that's- that's insane! This is your home, our family's here!" Regina revolted forcefully.

"Baby gi- Faith, no one's gonna get hurt," Emma added. "We know you're not dangerous."

"No, I won't stand for it! You need us, Faith! You've just been through a terrible ordeal!"

Faith's heart swelled at her parents' objections. It hadn't been an easy decision, but it was the only one she could see herself making. "Moms, please… I've gotta do this for me," _and you,_ she thought to herself. "I'm adult now, I'm starting to understand how things work. I'm not gonna take any chances."

* * *

All the while Faith packed her things, Dani and the twins begged her to stay. They'd just gotten their sister back, and now she was leaving again? It wasn't fair! They tried everything; August promised he'd do her chores for the next two months, Dakota offered to share a room with Dani, and Dani said she'd talk to their parents- as if she had any control over them. The departure was painful enough for Faith without her brother and sisters pleading with her, but Faith couldn't back out now. With the majority of her possessions jammed so tightly in her bag that it wouldn't zip closed, Faith shifted nervously. She wanted to hug Dani and the twins, but the idea of skin-to-skin contact with anyone freaked her out. So, while she didn't pull them into a group hug, she assured them that none of it was their fault and that they had nothing to do with her leaving.

Henry and Maya were waiting on the front stoop. They'd told Faith she could ride with them, much to their mothers' utter dissatisfaction. It wasn't without their own doubts that they'd donated their car, but what else could they do? From Regina and Emma's view, Henry was committing treason by transporting Faith to her new quarters.

Faith had inherited a fair amount from each mother, and it would seem that Emma's headstrong nature had also been passed down. It was for that reason that Emma made herself go along with Faith's choice; she could empathize with being told not to do something even if her mind was already made up. She wasn't supporting it or accepting it, she was just… going with it. Regina, on the other hand, was a wreck. She was doing everything possible, without magic, to convince Faith not to go.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," Faith said over and over again. She knew Regina wanted to wrap her arms around her, but Faith just wasn't ready for that.

The evening glow around them was more cheerful than they were. How were the singing birds to know it wasn't the appropriate time to serenade the small group? They weren't human; they didn't know Regina's tears were tears of sorrow, not of joy.

"Faith, please, don't do this!" Regina sobbed as she turned her wedding ring neurotically. "You can't go!"

"I'm so sorry," Faith echoed, her own eyes welling up. "I'll be right down the block," she said, as if it would make Regina less restless.

Emma broke apart from her unscrewed partner and fought against the urge to embrace Faith. Instead, she pinched the woman's cheek; Faith didn't flinch away this time. "Don't ever, _ever_ forget how much we love you, Faith. Baby or adult, your our daughter. Everything will be ok, you'll see."

"I know, Ma. I love you, too," Faith guaranteed. "I'm sorry."

* * *

Red was pacing the floors of her room, waiting to hear something about Faith. The vibe she'd gotten when she saw the woman didn't sit right with the wolf. Her gut was telling her that Faith needed help, but her aunt-instincts reminded her that Faith had parents to look after her. Either way, she couldn't stop moving up and down her room. She couldn't recall the last time she'd been so concerned, not even with Granny's confession.

Every few seconds, Red picked up her hood from the foot of the bed and then dropped it again as if it were nothing but a rag. _I can't believe I told her to use it!_ she berated herself. _Gods, I'm such an idiot!_

But then, during her anxious strides, there was a gentle tapping at her door. "Granny, not now!"

"It's not Granny!" a muted voice on the opposite side said.

With her mind moving faster than her hands, Red fumbled with the locks until she pulled the door open. The familiar adult she saw before her sent goosebumps down her neck. "Faith?"

Standing with her weight on one leg, disheveled hair tucked into a beanie, and a knapsack dragging behind her, Faith sighed heavily. "Hey, neighbor."

* * *

That night, Faith laid awake and stared at the ceiling above her. She was beginning to forget when the last time it was that she'd gotten a peaceful night's rest. It seemed unreal that she'd ever return to dreamland again.

Two days that could have been used getting ready were wasted on Faith's own desires. The punishment her parents were no doubt envisioning couldn't have been any worse than what Faith inflicted on herself. With the impending full moon, every day felt like a new battle; her inner human self fighting her inner wolf, the understanding that she had the potential to kill someone. While she'd gotten stronger and faster in the preceding weeks, she still hadn't gained complete control of the rest of her talents. Every time she thought about her wolf reflection in the water, she became more and more afraid of what would happen this time. At some point, she'd realized that Red had lied about the deer and that it had in fact been herself who killed it. She didn't reveal this to Red, as she was grateful to her aunt for wanting to protect her.

It'd been a long day for Faith. New experiences, good and bad, and some she'd do anything to forget about. She was still processing the event from earlier, still so confused about it all. It didn't make sense to her how someone could be so vile, so repugnant. The first thing she did when she'd gotten to her rooms was take a two hour shower. At some point, she'd talk to something about what happened- someone other than Emma and Regina. She couldn't bring herself to tell her mothers about it, as she had an idea of what they'd say and do. In fact, Emma had already fulfilled some Faith's predictions.

As her eyelids became heavier, Faith drifted off with a few last thoughts: all she could do was try her best the next day and work harder than the previous. Everyone's expectations of her, everyone's hopes for the next week began to wash away until there was nothing left. She was learning that the only expectations that really mattered were her own. True, it was an awful feeling to let your family down. But, Faith decided it was even worse to let yourself down- to know that you could have done better. That was a form of regret she wanted nothing to do with.

* * *

While Faith went head to head with insomnia, the rest of her family members did the same. The five of them were struggling with her absence in their own, unique ways. Dakota missed her roommate like mad, it didn't feel right without Faith in the bed next to hers; their nighttime chats had been disconnected without warning. Dani wanted her little sister back, as he day didn't felt complete without telling her goodnight. And August blamed himself for not doing more to help out, however irrational that may have been. None of them felt whole without Faith there.

Emma had been rocking her wife from side to side in hopes that Regina would stop crying. The heartbreak that the mayor endured, however, was unfixable. At least, that's what it seemed like. Regina coughed every now and then from her sandpaper-like throat, own shirt soaked in tears, and her head pounding the harder she shook. She was wearing herself out, but there was no sign of sleep in the heart future. Her daughter was gone, and to Regina, it was all her fault. She'd never be able to forgive herself.

Unable to console Emma, Regina's cries only grew louder and louder until it sounded as though the Swan-Mills household had a ghost floating through. Dani and the twins were still awake- they'd never even closed their eyes. Arm-in-arm, the trio tiptoed through the dark halls in their pajamas and knocked on their mothers' door. They heard a muffled, "Come in," and all of them crawled into Emma and Regina's bed. Their shadows were the only visible forms, but that was enough for them. As long as they knew they were there, and they comforted each other, they'd find a way to make it through the night- the kids were sure of it.

* * *

**A/N** - Ok, dearies. Like I promised, this wasn't as grim as the previous chapter- at least, I didn't think so. I hope you're all still enjoying the story! I've got a few CC papers due, but I'll try and update again soon :-)


	10. The First Step

For three days, Faith ate, slept, breathed training. She didn't have to grovel at Red's feet or bribe her great-aunt, as Red had felt bad enough about the way they'd left things. After apologizing, Ms. Lucas resumed her role as teacher. From the crack of dawn until the the man in the moon rose with the glowing sphere, all Faith did was push herself further and further. Between the countdown in her head and the events that had taken place in Boston, Faith's motivation was stronger than it had ever been. No more playing games or beating around the bush, the young woman let herself disappear into her animal within.

Emma had been dropping by Faith's room every evening to check on her. The mother's time with her daughter didn't last long, but it was better than nothing at all. Space, she understood; complete disconnect from the family was unacceptable. Along with the usual company, Emma brought with her greetings from Regina. It was a mutual decision between the parents that Emma be the one see their child, as Regina was sure she'd only upset Faith again.

Dani and the twins pulled every trick up their sleeve to help Faith. They teleported to the forest multiple times, but she refused their services. She'd reconciled herself to the fact that Red was the _only_ person who could assist her. No one could fill her spot, and no one could match up to Red's laborious drills. Dani and the twins only served as distractions.

Faith still hadn't divulged all of the details of Boston to Emma; gaining control of her wolf was the only thing she could think about. All of the anger she'd developed towards that scuzzball had been channeled into her intense workouts, just not the scuzzball himself. She knew Emma was worried about her- about the way she was holding it all in, but there was nothing she could do. At some point, Faith had become a slave of her own being. She went through the motions of it all- waking up to the light that filled through the holes in the curtain, shoveling down her morning oatmeal (Red's directions), crushing the fallen tree branches beneath feet, everything as if she were nothing more than a mindless drone. Any and every bit of light that had returned to her eyes in the past few weeks had burned out the moment she got home. She wasn't the Faith Swan-Mills that everyone knew anymore… she was just… a wolf in training.

It was all or nothing for Faith at this point. If she relented, even just a pinch and let anyone else in, she knew her backbreaking work would have been for nothing. What she told Regina was true: she no longer cared about how or why she'd been given this life, but she intended to make it work. Somehow, Faith was going to get through this.

* * *

It was early July and the blistering sun made its presence known. Storybrooke had endured an arduous and tedious winter and the ball of fire relished in its time among the humans. Even the most scalding of coffees would feel like ice if one were to spend their days outside.

Four days after coming home, nothing slowed down. With every step she took, Faith pounded her heels into the soft dirt and pushed off of the uneven ground. Her elongated legs gave her four feet to every stride and her sneakers left prints deep enough for an underground pool. Pollen crystals clustered together and hung right under the beams of light. Sharp branches and droopy vines weren't enough to divert the steadfast 20-something; Faith simply bounded over them. Several strands of golden locks escaped from her ponytail and stuck to her face; the rest was cemented in a tight knot that bounced off her neck. The entire backside of her tank top was doused in sticky sweat, and small beads of perspiration gleamed off of her thighs. Indentations where she'd toned her muscles were visible, and for a moment, that's all Faith looked like: pure muscle. She felt the heat grab a hold of her limbs, but it wasn't enough to slow her down. If anything, it only fueled her to go faster. Faith was in her own world, one that was completely and utterly silent, which would explain her total disregard for Red coming up behind her.

Red's engines spurred, giving her that extra oomf to match Faith's high speeds. It took a few moments, but eventually, Red succeeded in catching her student; it was an impulse, however irrational. Red had extended her arms before her and waited for the right time before tackling Faith to the ground. In the blink of an eye, the daughter of the Queen and Savior had gone from furiously sprinting over damp moss, to brushing off that same material from her knees.

"Sorry 'bout that, but you wouldn't stop," Red panted, bent forward just enough to catch her breath. As if she'd been shaken back to reality, Faith took in her surroundings. She'd been driving herself so mercilessly, she'd forgotten where she was. It was with an empty stare that she dug herself out of the dirt and wiped her hands on her shorts. Red waved in front of Faith's face in an attempt to bring her out of her dream state. "Yo… Faith? Are you in there?"

"What was my time?" the focused trainee asked harshly. Her once pale flesh had darkened over the course of her days outside, and so had her hair; traces of Regina's dark tone blended in with Emma's yellow.

"I dunno," Red shrugged. "I dropped the watch somewhere. Faith," her voice went from aloof to authoritative in an instant, "you gotta take a break. You're pushing too hard-"

"I gotta get ready," Faith professed.

"And you will be, but you're not gonna get there if you don't take care of yourself. Come on, you're officially done for the day," Red proclaimed. Faith had been going for nearly eight hours without so much as stopping for water. Determination was one thing, and Red admired Faith's, but neglect for self-care was another. As her trainer, Red had a duty to Faith to keep her physically, mentally, _and _emotionally healthy. "We're going to Granny's," Red declared. "My treat."

* * *

It was the first time since her truce with Granny that Red had stepped foot in the family diner. She'd been maintaing a safe distance from the woman who'd hid such a deep-rooted truth for days. Red realized, though, she'd never be able to move past it if she never faced it. So, like she told Faith, they were going to have lunch at Granny's. And it was _going_ to be pleasant.

In exchange for Faith living at the Inn, rent-free, all Granny asked of the woman was that she supported Red. Little did she know that Red and Faith had been each other's crutch in the wake of their mending relationship. They didn't spend their nights engaging in heart-to-hearts, per se, but they said anything and everything they wanted to. That's just how they were.

When Red opened the door to Granny's diner, a gust of wind blew right into her face; the air conditioner had been on overdrive and Granny had yet to fix it. Faith trailed closely behind her great-aunt, her recent anxiety over social interactions taunted her. The only people she'd been around were Red and her family— part of her family; the prospect of being thrown in the public eye was utterly terrifying.

Granny was dutifully mopping the scuffed surfaces when she saw her granddaughter out of the corner of her eye. A large pool of soapy water surrounded the manager, making it difficult for her to navigate through. It took all of her willpower to hold back from ambushing Red.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Granny teased as she wiped her hands on her apron. Red used to find those sort of jokes funny, but now, not so much. "What can I get you two?" the enthusiastic older woman asked, a pen and pad of paper ready to go. Faith and Red hadn't even gotten the chance to sit down yet.

"It's ok, I'll get it," Red waved off, uncomfortable with her grandmother waiting on her. "Faith, sit," she instructed firmly, pointing to a stool behind the counter. The blonde did as she was told, only because Red was stronger than she was.

Granny observed the two women in amusement, the way they acted like siblings rather than aunt and niece. But then, she took a moment and let her thoughts drift to David- Red's actual sibling. Although it was a risky move, Granny saw an opportunity and she snatched it up. "So, how's your grandfather?" She grinned at Faith, as if she saw nothing wrong with her inquiry.

With her back to Granny, Faith sent a pleading look towards Red, but she too had gone scarlet in the ears. "He's fine," Faith piped, quickly guzzling down the ice water her teacher had brought her.

"And the rest of your family? How are they?" Granny pried smoothly. She went on cleaning parts of the establishment with her head held low and neglecting the sharp pain in her lower back.

"You don't have to answer that," Red whispered, having lifted herself onto the seat next to Faith. "What're you hungry for?" she changed the subject. She said it loud enough for folks in the library to catch. Faith hunched over her empty glass and closed her eyes; she wished with everything in her that she was back in the forest. "Faith, you're eating something if I have to force feed it to you," Red warned. "You got five seconds… five… four… three… two…"

"A cheeseburger!" Faith blurted in exasperation, her teenage groaning resurfaced.

"That's more like it," Red chimed energetically- too energetic of Faith's own liking.

While Red prepared the food (the usual cook had taken leave), Faith was alone, finally tall enough to plant her feet flat against the tile. Her arms were folded one over the other and an index finger tapped rhythmically on the counter top. The ticking of the clock gave Faith something to concentrate on, other than Granny's intermittent staring- yes Faith felt it. Steam from the stove floated above Red and the sizzling of grease made Faith's stomach rumble eagerly. Contrary to what she'd have her great-aunt believe, Faith was starving.

When the patties were finished, Red fumbled with two, thick, glass plates. And that's when the bells over the front door rang; Granny had three more customers. Faith instantly knew who it was by the apple-scented body wash.

"Hey sis!" August cheered excitedly, already jogging up to the bar. He had his arms out wide when he saw Faith's spine stiffen, and that's what he remembered. To play it off, August arched his elbows, flexed, and groaned loudly as if he were stretching. "Granny," he tilted his head cordially.

Daniela and Dakota weren't far behind, but only one of them was smiling. "Something smells good," Dakota beamed as she sniffed the air like a puppy.

The twins positioned themselves on opposite sides of their sister, while Dani hung back by the tables. "Granny, can we put in a takeout order?" she asked demurely.

Shocked that they were actually acknowledging her presence, Granny nearly dropped the dishrag she'd been using to clean the tables. "Of course!" she exclaimed, gracious for the business. The older woman hobbled on over to the register and readied herself to take notes. "Whenever you're ready."

"Cheesecake's fine with me," August said.

Dani gave her brother a scornful look before she finally approached the counter, all the while never peering over at Faith. "Could we get a salad, two cheeseburgers with fries, one macaroni and cheese, and one ravioli?" Granny nodded to herself as she jotted down the orders. "Oh, and two iced coffees?"

"Anything else?"

"No, that's it. Thanks," Dani mumbled. Granny ripped off the tiny piece of paper and traveled to the food-making quarters; Red said nothing when her grandmother joined her.

Curious about the entire situation, though also mindful of Dani's apparent grudge, Faith addressed all of them. "Takeout? Mom's not cooking?"

At the mention of their brunette mother, three sets of eyes lowered to their shoes. "She… she hasn't cooked anything in a while," August confessed. "She got tired of pizza, so Ma suggested Granny's."

"Wait- Mom's stopped making food? Why?"

"Why do you think?" Dani snarled with rueful glare at Faith. From the kitchen, Red dropped a plate with one of the burgers and a sharp crashing sound pierced the silence.

Immediately ashamed, Faith slid off of the stool locked gazes with her eldest sister. "Dani, I'm sorry-"

"I don't care," the small brunette grunted, afraid that if Faith got any closer, she'd lose it like Regina had.

"Please, don't be like this," Faith urged. "I didn't meant to hurt you."

"Yeah, well, you did, so…"

"Dani, I had to leave. I _have_ to get ready. I don't want any of you getting hurt… not any more than already you have." Faith took one step towards Dani, but teenager backed away.

"You don't get it. You just don't get it. God, you really are an adult, aren't you?"

That stung Faith right in her Achilles's heel, those few sentiments. She'd been so hellbent on clinging to her old life, she never stopped to realize that there was nothing to hold onto; she wasn't a child anymore, no matter how much she wished she was. "I guess I am," Faith conceded.

While the Swan-Mills offspring had their reunion, Red and Granny remained silent in the kitchen. Red had completely forgotten about her discomfort of being with her grandmother and was fully immersed in the hushed altercation. And, for a second, it felt like old times again- just her and Granny.

"You know, when Henry left, Mom was upset, but she understood he needed to live his own life," Dani started, "but when you left… Mom hasn't been the same."

"Dani, it's different-"

"Why? Because you think you're protecting us?" Dani scoffed mockingly, her cheeks exploding with color. "You know why it's different? Because you haven't been back to visit and you haven't even called Mom, or us." At this point, Dani's eyes began to water and she lowered her head just enough for her hair to cover her quivering lip. Unable to come up with anything else, Dani stomped her foot, let out a frustrated, "UGGGHHH" and sprinted through the front door, leaving Dakota and August to pick up the pieces.

As if she were stuck in quick sand, Faith spoke without turning; she couldn't bring herself to see the looks on her siblings' faces. "I'm sorry, guys."

"We know," August comforted, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"Ok, you kids are good to go," Granny cut in with a large, paper bag.

"Thanks," Dakota murmured. "Bye Aunt Red."

"See ya Aunt Red," August waved. The woman reciprocated with a genteel smile.

"Listen," Faith pulled the twins over to the door for a bit of privacy. The top of August's met Faith's nose and Dakota came up to her shoulders. Between his blonde curls and her green eyes, the twins were definitely Emma and Regina's. They were a family abundant with common traits. "I swear on Grandpa Gold's dagger that I'm working to make this right, ok? It's almost over, I promise. I… I _have_ to know that you're-"

"Safe. We get it," Dakota affirmed. "It's like Ma says: just do what you need to do. We're here.'"

"And, 'everything's gonna be ok,'" August added with a smirk. With a loving wink from the twins, they left in search of their other sister. They'd soon come to figure out that Dani had teleported home.

When Faith spun around, Red and Granny were standing at the counter, acting as if they hadn't seen or heard anything. Two juicy cheeseburgers were placed next to one another, and Faith was reminded of how famished she'd been. Before allowed herself to dig in, though, she asked, "Can I get a to-go box?"

* * *

For the rest of the afternoon, Faith kept herself in her room. No music, no TV, no visit from Red. The open windows made the space feel less crammed and more cavernous; the way the evening, summer air drifted through. The blonde woman bided her time by laying on her back with her arms spread out as she counted the pea-sized dots on the ceiling. It wasn't necessarily fun, but it wasn't supposed to be. As long as it took her mind off of Dani, Faith would do anything.

She'd gotten all the way to 421 when she heard footsteps coming down the long hallway. They were too heavy to be Red's, who normally flitted through the corridor. No, this person was purposeful and decisive. From the crack under the door, Faith could smell spicy cologne. But, it wasn't Henry.

The tired young woman hoisted herself up into a sitting position and used her senses. She also checked the clock on the bed stand. It was about that time.

"Faith?"

"Coming," the blonde gurgled. "I'm coming." None-too-gracefully, Faith landed on the carpet and forced herself to open the door. "Hi, Ma."

"Gods, that's dejavu," Emma muttered. Dressed in just a white tank top, her underwear, and her blonde locks draped over her shoulders, Faith was the spitting image of her mother two decades ago.

"Huh?"

Jolted back to real life, Emma shook it off. "Uh, nothing. Can I come in?" Faith moved back and gestured an apathetic welcome. "So, the kids told me about earlier," Emma said as she landed in the armchair. "Must've been fun," she teased.

After throwing on a pair of clean shorts, Faith flopped onto her stomach; she sprawled herself over the mattress, propped up on her elbows. She kicked her feet up behind her like a teenager at a sleepover. "Yeah, you could call it that. Why didn't tell me Mom stopped cooking?"

Emma's shoulders rose and fell leisurely. "I didn't want to worry you. I mean, it's just that: nothing to worry about."

"You're joking right? You kick ass, Mom's makes food, that's how it always goes."

"Correction, I _used_ to kick ass," Emma chuckled. "I'm getting too old for that now."

"I dunno. Didn't look like that in Boston," Faith raised an eyebrow. The comment had slipped off of her tongue so easily, it startled her.

"Yeah, well, the guy had it coming," the Savior justified.

The conversation settled for a few minutes and the women waited for the other to say something. After letting her battery recharged, Faith pulled herself to the corner of the bed and rested her chin on the back of her hands. "Ma… is it really that bad at home? Be honest."

Emma leaned inward and narrowed her eyes, a trick she'd learned from Regina. With just a few inches of space between them, the resemblance was irrefutable. "If I answer your question, then you gotta answer mine."

Contemplating the offer, Faith sighed heavily. "Deal."

With a stabilizing breath, Emma revealed all. "Your mom's struggling. She hasn't been to work all week, she walks through the house like a zombie, she's stolen my sweatpants, and she hasn't used magic since you've left." Everything came pouring out, one after the other as if Emma's fast forward button had been held down. When she saw Faith's disheartened grimace, she tried to alleviate her daughter's shock. "It's not like other times; she hasn't totally retreated. She just… she just misses you. We all do."

Faith couldn't imaging Regina in Emma's green sweatpants, let alone refraining from using her powers. She was aware of the promise the Queen had made to Henry and Emma when they first became a family, but Faith was also aware of the various events that had taken place in the last decade and a half. Regina had never gone back to using magic as freely as she used to, but she had never totally quit either. That's how Faith knew it was bad.

"I'm sorry," she said for what felt like the millionth time.

"So are we," Emma sighed. With her main focus still on Faith, it was her turn. "Ok, now you gotta answer mine."

"I'm listening." Faith rolled onto her back and let her head hang from the bed; she glanced up at her mother, who was now upside down.

"How are you?" was all Emma asked.

It seemed like such a simple question, but to Faith, it was bigger than the entire forest. There was so much packed behind those three words, and Faith knew her mother could see right through whatever she said. "I'm fine." She gave the lie everything she had.

"No you're not," Emma countered. "You may not be living at home right now, but I know you. You're still my daughter." She flew out of the chair and onto the bed, filling the empty space next to Faith. "Let's try this again; how are you?"

Faith lifted her legs over her head and settled into a crouching stance, right in front of Emma. Slowly and methodically, she extended her knees until she was looking down upon her mother. A part of her had thought it would be easier to give an answer if she were the tall one- the one who had the most power. "I'm fine," she said again, though this time, not as convincingly.

"Faith," said Emma warningly.

"What? Isn't that what you want me to say? That everything's all right? That's what you want to hear, isn't it?" Faith spewed, frazzled. Instead of the familial pacing, the blonde wolf stood her ground.

"I want the truth, Faith. Our family… we can't handle any more lies, you know that."

"That's not my fault!" Faith cried irately.

"No one thinks it is," Emma replied mildly. "We know this is hard for you and how much you've been through. We want to help, Faith. That's all we watn. You can't do everything on your own."

"Look, Ma, I appreciate you trying, but this obviously _isn't_ helping. You just… you don't understand, ok? No one understands. Even Red can't help with this." Faith drifted towards the window and pulled back the curtains. There was no one on Main Street, absolutely no one. It was as if residents had evacuated the town once more and all that'd been left behind were the closed stores. Not even the same cars were parked in their spots. It was just a hot, vacant strip of land.

"I understand more than you think," Emma confided.

"I doubt that," Faith said bitterly. "You didn't go through puberty in a week; you're not a wolf mom. And I'm pretty sure you don't get the rest of it. "

"I don't know what it's like to be a wolf, you're right. But… I don't know what it's like to- to be violated."

Faith whipped her head up towards Emma, who was now the squeamish one. "What?"

Twiddling her thumbs, Emma closed her eyes and held herself. "I… I was 13 the first time it happened. He- he was supposed to be my big brother. When I ran away, I thought, 'Not again— it couldn't happen again.' But, then I got to the Norton's and… bam. I left the moment I turned 18."

"M- ma?" Faith barely managed to release that one syllable. She felt herself move closer to the bed, but she wasn't sure if she was walking or levitating. "What- what are you saying?"

"I'm saying… I'm saying that I understand, Faith," Emma confirmed. She opened her eyes to find her baby girl sitting just centimeters away from her, close enough to rock her like she used to. She could see the humiliation in Faith's green orbs, that same humiliation she felt all those years ago. Emma remembered her fear of someone touching her, even if it was an accident. She recalled the constant paranoia that followed her for years, the way a sniveling voice poked fun at her every time she so much looked at a man, until Neal came along. "I know that was the last thing you needed. You don't deserve any of what's happened to you, no one does." When she reached for Faith's hand, this time, Faith let her; she let Emma touch her. "I know how angry you are at everyone, including your mom and I. And I know how long it'll take for you to believe that it wasn't your fault. But someday, you're gonna be able to do it. Someday, everything that's going on right now will be a memory- nothing more and nothing less. The hurt you're experiencing, the exhaustion, the confusion, it will all get better." Faith blinked rapidly as she listened to Emma's advice. For the first time in days, she felt like she had a family again.

"I'm just so tired," Faith choked. "I don't think I can do this. I don't know what I'm doing."

"I know, baby girl," Emma soothed. Faith put up a fight at her old nickname. "Faith," Emma lifted her chin gingerly, "you _can _do this, you hear me? You _can_ do this. You've got us and Red, Grandma and Grandpa, Belle, even Granny. Whatever you want- whatever you need, we're here for you. You don't have to do this by yourself- any of it. There's still time for us to help you."

Faith overlooked the tears that moistened her cheeks and massaged her temples. "No. No, I don't want any of you getting hurt," she repeated once more. "I'm not risking it."

"Of course you're not," Emma agreed. "We are."

* * *

Emma left Faith's room feeling 100 pounds lighter than when she'd arrived. She'd told her daughter the truth and that's all she'd wanted to do. Now that Faith knew, it was up to her whether or not she used her mother as a resource.

When she got home, Regina was on the couch in a trance. She'd been sitting there since Emma had left, nervously awaiting her return. In one of her wive's many tank tops, another red flag, Regina sat pretzel style, biting her nails. In a moment of fluster, she'd tied her shoulder-length hair in a short ponytail, just enough so she didn't have to keep brushing it out of her face. The second Emma stepped into the front room, she stood at attention. "How is she?" was the first thing that escaped.

The clanking of Emma's keys as they fell into the bowl broke through Regina's hardened exterior and reactivated her fidgety nature. The blonde slid out of her shoes and fell backwards onto the couch, only prolonging Regina's anticipation. "Ask her yourself."

"Hey Mom," Faith held a hand up from behind, frozen in the doorway. Fully clothed, she crossed one leg over the other and rubbed her elbow shyly; her backpack rested by the door with everything in it.

Regina turned in a circle without losing her balance and gaped at her daughter- the same daughter she was convinced she'd never seen again. "Faith!" she gasped- so sharply she hiccuped. "Gods, what- what are you doing here? I mean, you're welcome home anytime, I- I just… I meant-"

"I'm home, Mom… if that's ok," the young woman said. Red's parting words, "Are you sure you want to do this?" replayed in Faith's head.

"Ok? Faith!" Regina moved to wrap her daughter in a hug, but paused before she did. "I'm- I'm sorry."

In taking the first step, Faith relaxed her entire body and gave her mother a small smile. "It's ok." She commanded her arms to lift from her sides and took just one step towards Regina. Without thinking about it too much, she tightened them around her mother's shoulders and buried her face in Regina's neck. "I missed you, too."

"Faith!" Dakota and August elated in unison as they jumped down from the stairs. A heart-stopping thud ensued as they landed on the wooden floorboards.

"Long time, no see, sis," August poked. "Looks like we missed a lot," he noted Faith's embrace. "You're giving out hugs now, huh?"

Faith grinned at her smaller siblings and gestured for them to join in, which the twins happily did. Emma remained on the couch, though, content to be a bystander. "Where's Dani?" Faith asked the other two.

As they let go, Dakota and August communicated telepathically like twins do. "She's uh… in her room."

"She kinda locked the doors," August mended his sister's statement.

Faith looked to her parents for an explanation, but neither Regina or Emma gave one. It was up to her to figure it out. "I'll be right back, ok? I think there's a lot we need to talk about."

"That there is," Regina agreed.

While the four Swan-Mills family members lounged around in the living room, Faith journeyed upstairs. She'd missed the shag carpet beneath her feet, the extra cushion they offered. The homey scent of apple cinnamon air fresheners wafted from Emma and Regina's room all throughout the second floor. Everyone's doors were open except for Dani's. A handwritten "Keep Out" sign was taped to the surface in all caps and seven exclamation points. There was no color or pattern in the lettering, just thick lines made by permanent marker.

Before stopping in Dani's quarters, Faith peeked her head in to her old room. Dakota's side looked exactly the same; books stacked upon books, her camera hung from the plastic hook next to the window, and the green bedspread over the twin mattress. But, Faith's side also looked the same as when she'd left it; the pictures of the Enchanted Forest that Geppetto had drawn for her were still taped to the walls, her bed was made, the pillows were set one on top of the other, and a folded pair of pajamas sat on the blanket. It was if she hadn't been away at all.

Bracing herself, Faith came to a complete halt square in front of Dani's room. The muffled sounds of Katy Perry roaring through Dani's headphones made their way to Faith's sensitive ears. She raised a closed fist and knocked on the door with the tip of her knuckles. There was no answer. She tried again, but eventually, took her chances and turned the knob. Just as August had said, it was locked. But, Faith's strength was no match for a scrap of metal. She merely rammed the side of her body into the wooden barrier and poof, it did her bidding.

Startled, Dani almost fell out of her bed. She furiously removed her headphones and scowled at Faith. "What the heck are _you_ doing here?" she sneered, having squirmed out from under the sheets.

"It's where I live, isn't it?" Faith questioned innocently.

"Not anymore. You moved out, remember?"

"Temporarily," Faith corrected. "I moved out _temporarily. _The plan was always to come home."

"What plan? You didn't know what you were doing any more than we did," Dani challenged. With her back against the closed door, Faith peeled herself off and sat at Dani's desk. Printed poems and short stories were piled on the surface, all of them of equal importance. Faith stole a glimpse at a few of the pieces, her naturally inquisitive persona took control, but Dani was already snatching them up. "Those are private," she snarked, clutching them to her chest.

"Dani, I get it. What I did was crappy and it hurt you guys. You know that it was the last thing I wanted to do. I needed some time alone, some space to think everything out. I thought it was the right choice, but… but now I know it wasn't. Leaving only made it worse. I am seriously so sorry that I walked out like that." Another deep inhale and Faith's felt her lungs tighten. "You're my big sister, Dani, no matter how old or tall I am. You'll always be my big sister." Faith's knee bounced up and down, up and down. Already fading scars of the cuts and scraped from training a week before were barely noticeable to the naked eye. "Say something?"

A war waged on in Dani as to whether or not she should forgive Faith. Half of her knew that her sister had done everything because she loved them, but the other half of Dani was just too betrayed. Her baby sister, the girl whose diapers she'd helped change was now older than Dani was. None of it made sense. But, in the end, it all came down to one thing: fear. Fear had steered Faith in the direction she'd sped off in, and fear was the reason Dani didn't want to let Faith off the hook so easily.

"Are you going to leave again?" Dani wanted to know. The pages of her creative musings crinkled together the harder she held onto them.

"No, I'm not leaving again," Faith said.

"Swear?"

"I swear on Cora's grave, I'm not going anywhere."

Rearranging the papers so that they fit in one arm, Dani held out her hand and extended her smallest finger. "Pinky promise?"

Faith cracked a slight smile and locked pinkies with Dani. "Pinky promise." And just like that, Dani let go of her writings and let them float to the floor. She grabbed onto Faith with everything she had and refused to let go.

* * *

That night, while Dani and the twins crashed after an evening of talking and laughing, Regina, Emma, and Faith stayed up in the dining room a bit later. The rest of the lights in the house were off, except for theirs. Three glasses of apple cider poured to the rim rested on homemade coasters and ice cubes floated on the surface, undisturbed. The change in Regina was not lost on her wife; it was clear to Emma that some of the brunette's agony had subsided now that Faith had returned.

They sat together and savored the serenity of their surroundings. There was no yelling or fighting, no trampling on the second floor, nothing but the feeling of being home. It'd only been a few days since she'd left, but to Faith, it felt like months.

She'd spent their quiet meeting a still as a statue. She never touched her cider, nor did she offer any conversation starters. It was tiresome enough just having her mothers gawk at her, she didn't have enough energy to be the life of the party. "I think I'm gonna check in for the night," she said abruptly. She maneuvered her way from under the table without the chair scratching the wood, but lingered in her spot for a second. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Faith, wait," Regina chased after the blonde. She'd stopped her at the base of the stairs; Faith had already taken one step. "Can't we talk for a little while? There's a lot we need to discuss."

Finally feeling the strain of the end of the day, Faith searched for a tactful way to let Regina down. "Uh, maybe… maybe later, Mom. I'm- I'm really tired." This time, it was the truth and not just an excuse to leave.

"Yes, all right. You get some rest. We'll talk, erm, later then." Letting Faith walk away for the second time was the one of the hardest things Regina had ever done. A thousand needles pierced through her beating heart as she watched her daughter grow further and further away from her. But, at least Faith was home. That was the important thing. Faith was home, where they could protect her.

* * *

**A/N** - Hello, dearies! What'd you all think of last night's episode? SO MUCH SWANQUEEN I LOVED IT! Haha, anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next one will be considerably shorter, and then, the moment you've all been waiting for ;-) Hm, I think a full moon is just around the corner... Thanks for the reviews/follows/favorites! You all rock! More to come soon :-)


	11. Adulthood Woes

"You do know your moms'd kill me if they found out about this?" Red raised a suspicious eyebrow at her protege.

"Which is why they're not gonna know," Faith reasoned. The two women had snuck off to the Rabbit Hole after the last day of training, finally. Yes, it was the night before the full moon and Faith needed something to calm her nerves. The Rabbit Hole was the first place that came to mind.

Other than Jefferson, there was barely anyone else there. Then again, no one in Storybrooke really attended Happy Hour at four in the afternoon. Everyone was either at work or at home, which is where Faith should have been.

"Technically, you're not 21," Red contended, though she hadn't thought to bring that up when Faith proposed the idea.

"I don't exactly look nine years-old either, do I? Come on Aunt Red, one beer? Something to take the edge off?" Faith begged. She gave Red her best puppy dog eyes, but she knew Henry was the reigning champion.

Watching from the other end of the bar, cleaning mugs and shot glasses, Jefferson minded his own business. His brown curls were gelled so compactly, they looked like concrete. He carelessly went about his odd responsibilities as a bar owner, taking inventory of the wine bottles at his disposal and adding napkins to the dispensers.

Worn down by Faith's unwavering, resolute pleading, Red rolled her eyes in surrender. "ONE beer, ok? ONE. That's it. I swear to god if Regina tries to curse me, I'm coming after you."

"Sure thing," Faith accepted the terms through stifled giggles. "You're the best aunt ever!"

"Jefferson, two Bud Lights," Red beckoned the magician, who catered to her order promptly. The glass bottles perspired from being held up in a zero-degree refrigerator.

Cold to the touch, Faith could only hold it for so long. With the container grasped firmly in her hand, Faith looked at Red. "Here goes nothing." The moment her lips touched the rim to the moment the fizzy substance trickled down her throat, Faith held her breath.

Her taste buds erupted in distress and sent millions of tiny messages to her brain, which in turn, controlled Faith's next actions: the young woman spit out the alcoholic beverage and sprayed the mirror across the way, foam still dripped down the side of the bottle. She was suddenly incredibly thankful no one else had been there to witness such a mortifying moment.

"That good, huh?" Red snickered, her own went down better than Faith's. The vibrant red highlight in her hair danced at the side of her face, while the rest was in sloppy pigtail at the base of her back. The woman was, she didn't even know how old, and yet she looked younger than everyone the same age. She had no laugh lines or gray hairs, no crows feet or puffy veins. It was both a gift and a curse, she'd come to understand.

"God that's disgusting!" Faith griped as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her mouth turned downward. There was a bowl of mini pretzel rods, which Faith hurriedly gobbled down to coat the lasting taste of booze. "Why didn't you tell me it was so bad?"

"Ah, come on, it's not so terrible," Red laughed, taking another sip of Light.

From the other end of the room, Jefferson leaned over the jukebox and flipped through the preinstalled records. The music of this world had quickly become an interest of the Mad Hatter's- its ability to communicate through the soul-reaching sounds of saxophones and trumpets. In accordance with his own musical tastes, the stereos began emitting Louis Armstrong and his scratchy vocals; _"Grab your coat and grab your hat baby, leave your worries on the doorstep,_

_just direct your feet on the sunny side of the street."_

"My mom loves Louis," Faith said, having recovered from the ceremonial liquor tasting. Her unblemished skin dimpled as she she smiled wistfully to herself. "She said it was playing the night of her car crash, right before she found about me. I've never been sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing." Faith had somehow managed to evade Regina's consistent requests to have a Kumbyah circle, though not without some guilt. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to her mother, she did, she was just… not ready.

"It could be neither; it could just be a sign," Red suggested whimsically, flamboyantly drinking away. "It's something that'll always connect the two of you."

Faith snorted, entertained at the notion. "Other than our blood, sure."

"Psh, you know blood doesn't make a family," Red chided. Suddenly, the label on the jug became the center of her attention as she started picking it off at its corners.

"I'm- I'm sorry, that was stupid," Faith retracted, mentally slapping her forehead with her palm. "Actually, I'm sorry about a lot. I've been, uh, selfish lately. You've done so much for me, you haven't even gotten to talk to Grandpa."

"No, we've, um, had a couple discussions," Red revealed. "Yeah, we talked a bit when you were gone."

"Really?" Faith tilted her head and examined Red's smooth features. "How'd that go?"

"He was pissed, obviously. Not at me, though. At Granny, at his- at our dad. He wanted more answers." The mature wolf gulped down another serving of beer and found solace in the tingling of her throat, the warm layer that the alcohol left behind.

"And you? What'd you say?" Faith tried not to sound too nosey, but she was genuinely curious. David hadn't said a word to Faith concerning the familial connections, and everyone else seemed just as clueless.

"Well… I told him he was always my brother. Snow loved him and cared about him, and then I got to know him for myself in the Forest. It was a different land, sure. But when we got here, even though memories were false, I still cared about him. You know the rest," Red said, somewhat embarrassed to ramble on.

"So… are you guys good or…?"

"Yeah, I think we will be. Like you and your mom, we've got a lot to figure out." There was a fair amount of relief that washed over Red having confided in someone. Lord knows she'd been holding in enough for too long.

"Aunt Red?"

"Yeah, Kiddo?" In this regard, Faith saw the similarities between her mother and her great-aunt.

"Thanks… for everything. I- I just hope it wasn't all for nothing."

"Hey," Red nearly slammed her bottle onto the counter, "listen, tomorrow's only the first time. There are other full moons, other opportunities. If it doesn't go exactly how you planned, then so be it. It's not the end of the world." Faith was tracing a carved name in the wood with her thumb, only half-listening to Red. "Faith," the older woman put her hand over the blonde's knee; Faith reluctantly turned to her aunt. "Remember what I told you; you and your wolf are exactly the same. _You_ control her, not the other way around."

"But what if-"

"Nope, not gonna hear it. Sorry, but you're losing this one," Red smirked.

Pouting, Faith grunted thematically and fell onto the bar. "You sound like Ma."

A new sensation filled Red's heart, a foreign passion she couldn't recall ever experiencing. All she could think of to say was, "Guess it runs in the family."

* * *

Before parting ways for bed, the Swan-Mills children relaxed in the family room with soda, potato chips, and spoonfuls of Nutella. Regina and Emma, saying that they had some "business" to attend to, dipped out for a bit. Secretly pacified at the prospect of their absence, the couple's children didn't complain. Dani did, however, remind the women that their curfew was 11 o'clock; her siblings got a kick out of it.

With the Lumineers playing in the background, the offspring took up the entire space. As always, August occupied his throne, Henry's chair. His cut-off tee shirt exposed his growing biceps and farmer's tan, his ribs poked out from his sides.

Dakota and Dani rolled out on the couch, and Faith noticed the hole that had previously been growing had been patched up. It must have been done magically, because she couldn't see any seams or edges, which said a lot for having keener senses. The two brunettes shared a container of hazelnut spread, scooping mile-high servings onto their silverware. Between Dani's sky blue pajamas and Dakota's Kelly green spaghetti straps, they took the focus off of the fading sofa.

Faith, meanwhile, was satisfied to sit on the floor with her legs out in front of her. She may have been the adult of the house, but when it came to food, she indulged herself as well. A clear bowl of salty chips was calling her name, and she just couldn't resist. Needless to say, Regina and Emma were ignorant to their children's snack choices.

In a way, hanging out together felt like it used to. The kids were learning to adjust to Faith's growth spurt and mental advancement because to them, she was still their sister, just a bit smarter and bigger. They still laughed when August made fart noises with his armpit and they still found comfort in talking about their favorite summer shows. It was as if nothing had changed at all; they were just the Swan-Mills children, not the "Swan-Mills children and wolf."

"Faith? It's probably a stupid question, but… are you scared? About tomorrow, I mean?" Dakota wondered in-between crunching on the solid food. She twirled a strand of her hair with her finger and bobbed her head in time to the music.

She let her sister's interest settle for a moment before landing on an answer; in Faith's opinion, a meaningful response more respectful than a rushed one. "I think I'd be crazy not to be," she admitted. And now it was her turn to put on a brave face. She was _not_ going to be the one to ignite terror amongst the others. "But I think things will be… ok. Red knows what she's doing, she'll help me through it."

"So, you're not, like totally freaking out?" August resolved, one leg swinging over the chair.

"Not totally, no," Faith shrugged. "What about you guys? Are you scared?"

Dani didn't need to confer with the others to know whether they agreed or not before replying with an automatic, "Not if you aren't."

* * *

Regina and Emma got home later than they'd anticipated. Their abode was a cloud of darkness, but they didn't dare turn on any of the lights, not even their cell phones. The barefoot women made their way up the stairs with their hands out in front of them, ready to catch themselves if they fell. Emma stubbed her toe at the base of the stairs and bit back the explosion of swear words that infiltrated her mind. Regina, however, was just as agile as ever. She arrived on the second floor without any problems.

Once they reached the last step, Regina and Emma locked hands and the brunette guided her clumsy wife down the stout hallway. For the first time in a while, the doors to all three of the other bedrooms were wide open; comatose sighs slithered through the frames. The kids were sound asleep, including Faith. The Queen and the Savior's brood were off in dreamland, blissfully unconscious. They'd tried to stay up for as long as possible, but they lost their battle against fatigue and gave in to their constant yawning.

Silently, Regina tugged Emma behind her as they inspected each one of their dormant children. Thanks to the illumination from the mostly full moon, they were able to see the kids' faces. August was flat on his stomach and his mouth was wide open, the perfect exit for the drool that slid down his chin. His curls were smashed against a pillow and soft snores rippled through his nose; he got that from Emma. Even through the darkened room, what was once the nursery for their babies still rang clear as day in the mothers' memories- the cribs they'd bought from Geppetto, hand crafted to perfection. Regina thought back to when Emma had finished it for the twins, the way she'd hung their first ultrasound over their cradle. To this day, they're still not sure which baby was in the frame.

Without dawdling for too long, Emma and Regina tiptoed to their eldest's chambers. Dani was sleeping peacefully on her back, as she always did. Her chest rose and fell with every breath she took, mesmerizing the parents. It distracted Emma from her throbbing toe long enough for her to forget about it completely. As they observed their daughter, it struck Regina insane how much Dani looked like the girl in her dream 16 years ago. No matter how many times she and Emma had questioned their matching visions, they always came to the same conclusion: it had been real.

Finally, the women stopped at the room shared by the youngest girls- or, one of the youngest. Dakota laid on her side with one hand under her cushion. In the fetal position, her faithful stuffed rabbit snuggled close to her body; it'd been a gift from Gold. Although Henry's siblings bore no genetic relation to the wizard, he treated them as if they were. He held deep affection for each of his grandchildren, as he saw them, and he always looked out for them in one way or another.

To get a better peek at Faith, Emma and Regina had to actually enter the room. The blonde almost tripped over her own feet before Regina caught her and mentally reprimanded her. But then the brunette softened and melted into Emma's arms, the same way she always did when they watched their children sleep.

Faith was so tall, she took up the entire mattress. From the headboard to the edge, the five foot, 10 inch woman left no extra room. One of her muscular arms hung over the side of the bed and hovered just centimeters over the floor. Her cheeks were pressed against the mattress and contorted the rest of her face into a sharp frown. She'd wriggled out of the sheets before she'd given into unconsciousness and all she had was one of Emma's jogging shirts and a pair of leggings Faith had trimmed at the knees.

Wanting to let their kids rest freely, Emma yanked on Regina's elbow. The Mayor understood the underlying message, but there was one thing she had to do first. She broke apart from her wife, crept along the side of Faith's bed, bent over the sleeping woman, and placed a tender kiss on top of her head. Regina waited and in a tone so quiet, not even the most advance wolf could hear her, she whispered, "Goodnight, our miracle baby."

* * *

**A/N - **Hope you all enjoyed that little update, dearies! Please, lemme know what you think!


	12. The Price of Magic

After a month of intense, tear-inducing, grueling, unyielding perseverance, it was judgement day for Faith Swan-Mills. The full moon was upon her, and everything she'd been working for would finally come to light. The murderous days of non-stop training, the dubious looks from Storybrooke residents, and the pain the family had endured had all lead up to this night. Regardless of what Red had said about more opportunities, this felt like it for Faith. It was make it or break it.

For the first time in weeks, Faith stood in front of the entire family: Regina, Emma, Dani, the twins, the Charmings, Red, Henry and Maya, and Belle. They had enough people for a high school football team. No longer able to pack the massive horde into the living room, they all gathered together in the backyard, right in the middle of the blistering sunshine. The meeting had been set for six o'clock, giving Faith enough time to prepare before the moon rose.

Scattered about in lawn chairs and the actual ground, 12 expectant individuals waited for Faith's impending speech. It was as if the team were all gearing up for words of wisdom from their coach; August and Henry half anticipated Matthew McConaughey's southern drawl to pump their spirits. Ultimately, though, the situation was in Faith's hands and whatever she had to say, they knew it was going to be just as important.

Swarms of gnats threatened the tranquility of the family, but Dani created a magic repellant around the group, an imperceptible bubble. Overgrown blades of grass sprouted between toes and tickled the exposed skin of the younger folks as they took their seats. When the muggy blew, it pushed the shiny greenery to one side, like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The family made a half circle around Faith so that she could see everyone face-to-face. As she scanned the diverse group, her blood pressure spiked until her heartbeat was all that she could hear. She had no doubt her face was bright pink, as she could feel rush of heat spring to her cheeks. She started to understand what it must have been like for David to speak in front of the council.

Maya and her bulge sat in the front chair with Henry by her side; their hands clamped down together. She wore a cranberry-colored summer dress that covered her swelled abdomen just enough to downplay its actual size. At five months gone, she wasn't massive, but her stomach was hard to ignore. Emma and Regina stood over Dani and the twins, the blonde's arm around the brunette's waist. They locked eyes with Faith at one point, silently encouraging her. She was a grown up now, they finally understood that.

"Ok, uh, I really just wanted to thank you guys for everything that you've done," Faith began. "I know it's not exactly how everyone wanted to spend their summer… and I hope it was worth it."

"It was," Henry asserted.

"But, to be extra safe I was wondering… I wanted to know— I need to know that you all—" Faith wasn't sure how to ask. She knew what she wanted to say, but it just wasn't coming out right. "Look, we don't know what will happen tonight. I want to make sure you all will be ok. So, moms, Grandpa and Grandpa, Henry, Aunt Red and Aunt Belle, I know you've all planned some sort of border patrol thing. If stuff get too crazy- if I… if I go berserk—"

"You won't," Emma affirmed. "We won't let you."

"Just listen, Ma, please? I'm not asking for you guys to tranq me or anything, but if things go south, Mom," Faith addressed Regina, "I'm giving you permission to use magic on me— I _want_ you to use magic on me. Freeze me, tie me up with branches, whatever. Anything to make sure I don't hurt anyone." Faith finally tore down the wall that had separated her and her mother for the last couple of days. She needed her mom now, more than ever.

Everyone turned towards Regina for her answer. Before she said anything, though, she was shaking her head vigorously. "No! I am _not_ going to use magic on you! Faith, that's not an option!"

"Mom, please. Do what you did with Daniel, you know? You don't have to… kill me, just create a forcefield around me or something. I know you can do it," Faith implored.

"Faith, we are _not_ going to do that, because you are _not_ going to need it," Emma said. Her own blood boiled beneath her skin as she refused Faith's request. Her daughter may be stubborn, but she wasn't insane.

"If you don't do it to _me_, then do it to the forest. Use a protection spell so no one can get in and I can't get out," Faith babbled hastily. "I know Grandpa and Henry aren't gonna shoot me, and Grandma's not gonna launch an arrow at me, so someone has to do something!"

"Enough!" Regina growled ferociously, steam blasted out of her ears. "We are going to stick to our original plan, and yes, we have a plan. No arguments, no if's, and's, or but's. Are we clear?"

Faith bit back the frustration with all of her strength until she tasted blood. "Mom, think-"

"Are. We. Clear?" Regina asked once more, annunciating each vowel and syllable.

With the rest of the family staring at her and the sun beating down upon her back, Faith counted to 10 in her head. "Yes ma'am."

* * *

The sun was to set at precisely 7:54. At 8:01, the sky began it's transition from orange to purple. And, at 8:15, the stars started to twinkle even brighter. A yellow glimmer radiated from the sky, signaling the countdown. It wouldn't be long now.

With the other sulking kids at home, the rest of the adults- including Maya, who waited in the car- exported to the woods. The only way Henry was ok with Maya tagging along was if she was secured in two tons of metal. They'd all dropped by their perspective homes and gotten into their fighting attire, just to be cautious. If they needed to run or engage in combat (which they prayed they wouldn't), sandals and dresses weren't ideal.

David and the sheriff wore matching holsters, though Faith had been right: neither of them planned on using their guns. It was more of a precaution than anything else. Snow had her bow and arrow slung over her shoulder, her palms too clammy to hold onto her weapons. Belle had brought a knife from Gold's shop, although she didn't know how to use it. And Emma and Regina were armed with only their maternal wits and their magic- the same magic they forbid themselves to use on their children.

By Regina's request, the band of warriors had traveled to their assigned sections and left the mothers alone with their daughter. Red stayed back under the shadows of bushes. It was a moment for the Queen, the Savior, and their daughter alone.

Faith's bare knees were trembling and goosebumps rose up her arms and down her spine. She wasn't cold, she was the furthest thing from it, and yet, she couldn't stop rubbing her hands together to keep warm. Her forehead shone with sweat as she tried to regulate her intake of oxygen. At the rate she was going now, she'd be hyperventilating before she even phased.

"We're all going to be here, Faith," said Emma. "You're not alone, remember that." Faith nodded numbly. "We are so proud of you."

"Everything is going to be ok," Regina announced with her head held high.

Between her shaky panting, Faith managed a small chuckle. "You sound like Ma."

"Well, she's always right, isn't she?" Regina saw deep into the young woman's spirit and saw the baby girl she'd cradled just nine years ago. She knew the fighter that had always been in her daughter, the one who'd survived enough for decades. That same baby was now being thrust into one of the most challenging trials of her life. "We love you."

"I love you, too," said Faith. She gave her mothers a hug and their individual scents etched into themselves into her consciousness. That last image Faith took with her was of her mothers smiling, their auras rich in mourning. Without saying goodbye, she made her way toward's Red's silhouette. "Let's go."

The two wolves trekked through excruciating humidity, weathered dozens of colonies of mosquitos, and avoided sneaky potholes. They passed by everyone at least once in their excursion to the heart of the forest, all without saying so much as a "Hello." Red was taking Faith to a special place; her phasing zone. Less than a handful of people knew about it, and Red was going to keep it like that. Faith marked the third person to be informed of the sacred space; Granny was the first and Snow was the second.

It took only a few minutes until they reached their destination. Faith knew it was far, considering she could hardly hear any of her family members- not even a sneeze. Red switched on the flashlight and pointed it at a fair-sized burrow, hidden by fallen branches and dense weeds. "You ready?"

"I guess I have to be." Faith snaked around the peculiar hole, examined its size and estimated its distance from the rest of civilization. She stuck her neck out and approximated its durability, if there was a way to be closed in. When she convinced herself it was the best place to be, all she had to do was wait. The blonde rested upon a hallow log and found consolation purple sky, oddly enough. The glinting masses of energy served as a natural sedative and the last slice of sunlight was fading away. "Does it hurt?" she asked suddenly. "I… I don't remember last month."

Turning the blinding, florescent light, Red leaned against an uninhabited tree trunk and chose her words with great consideration. "It's different for everyone. Some people think it does, some don't." She watched as Faith's shoulders rolled forward and the blonde played with the pebbles. "You can still wear the cloak, Faith. It's not too late to change your mind." It was Red's turn to have second thoughts.

"And rely on a hood for the rest of my life?"

"Or just until next month. If you don't feel comfortable-"

"No, you were right: I can control her. I wanna do this," Faith decided. "I have to do this."

Slowly but surely, the sliver of orange was swallowed whole by the dark night, giving the full moon free reign over the territory. Red put several feet of space between Faith and herself as she prepared for the transformation. In order to best serve her niece, Red was going in wolf-mode too.

It didn't happen right away, not like some would think. It was a gradual process, one that was rather stagnant. It started in Faith's eyes, a golden glow in her irises matched the color of her hair. Her breathing became heavier and more ragged, as if she'd just finished a triathlon. She bared her canine teeth uncontrollably and fell to the ground on her hands and knees, all the while unconsciously mirroring Red's movements. A strange vibration was activated and shook her entire being; like an electrical current, it cascaded through her arms and legs and left them with a tinging sensation. It was as if she'd been sitting on her feet too long and they'd fallen asleep; it wasn't painful, but it was somewhat restricting.

Faith's back rounded as she bowed forward, closer to the dirt; she gathered fistfuls of grass and rocks hard enough for them to leave imprints, but not to draw blood. She kept her eyes closed out of fear of what she might see, but she felt it all, every spasm and every quiver. Her skin was no longer as sensitive as other mundane flesh, but rough and impenetrable. The tousled bun she'd set had been released and there was hair all over. It was like an insulated jacket that clung to her body and moved when she did. And then, as the last bit of fur encased her legs, there was a low, guttural tremor that worked its way up her throat. It crawled over her trachea, slithered through her tonsils, and under her uvula until it ripped through her wet lips. An earth-shattering cry slashed the forest and echoed all around, spreading outside of the town lines. When Faith opened her eyes again, the earth was flying past her.

Even in her current state, there was a shred of Faith still in there. That same, pre-installed curiosity is what drove the wolf- what fueled her. She dashed through bushes and over fallen tree trunks with the finesse and agility of a pack leader. Squirrels, chipmunks, and owls fled from her path as she ravaged their homes with her heavy paws. Saliva dripped from her open mouth and left a trail for Red to follow, if Faith's footprints weren't enough. The elder animal tried to kept tabs on the pup the way Anita had claimed to be possible, but it wasn't easy. Red couldn't differentiate between what she was seeing and what Faith was seeing.

Faith's fur was easy to spot under the right light. Her reflective, golden skin was the same color as her hair in human form. Only, as a wolf, there was sprinkles of brunette and light red; it was a combination of the different hair colors in her entire family. The tendons in her legs protruded through her long coat every time she pushed off of the ground and her tail wagged wildly in the air.

They'd made serval laps around the woods, somehow without running into the guards. The small piece of Faith knew where they were positioned and her wolf tactically timed her sprints around their rotations. The adults were aware of the booming foot steps, but Faith was invisible to them; she was too fast.

When she came across a lone deer, Faith's instincts began to take control. She wasn't hungry really, but something told her to go for the animal's throat. If she were careful enough, she'd be able to pierce the fawn's jugular without it ever realizing what happened. So, she stalked her prey. She didn't know how she was doing it, but her wolf continued its task. Crossing one leg over the other, Faith walked backwards and to the side until she was hidden behind a shallow slope. The rustling of the leaves in the deer's mouth screamed in Faith's ears like a metronome and hypnotized her. With her knees bent just slightly, Faith was ready to go for the kill. She released her legs and sprang into the air, right in the direction of the innocent animal. She almost got it too, if Red wouldn't have blindsided her.

Spooked, the deer pranced through the obscurity and away from the angry werewolf. Faith snarled at her mentor and barked menacingly, her sharp, white teeth wet with spit. Red, however, did not retaliate. She didn't even flinch. Her only assignment was to make sure Faith was safe and to prevent anyone/anything from harm. Punishment was not in her job description.

Faith's fury didn't last long, as another sound seized her attention. It was music; soft, soothing, euphonious music. Classical. Instrumental. Hypnotizing. Red must have heard it as well, since her ears perked up instantly. She saw the look in Faith's vibrant eyes, and before she could tackle her once more, Faith was off.

* * *

In hopes that they'd have quicker results, Regina ordered that she and Emma split up. She went east, and Emma went west. The Queen completely ignored her wife's grumblings as she forged ahead. She had to know that Faith was all right.

Although Emma knew how to use magic, her skill wasn't at the same level as Regina's. Should something happen, she could defend herself with basic spells, but that was about it. Well, there was one other tool, but she hoped she wouldn't have to use it. Emma had to rely on her old bounty hunter abilities in this maze of a forest. Her hyper-vigilance was commendable, though it was no match for the massive plot of land. She lacked proper handcuffs, and even if she had a pair, she doubted Faith would fit into them.

Somewhere close by, there was an engine running. It was Henry's car. Emma and Regina had teleported with Red and Faith in tow. But Henry and Maya had driven there with David, Snow, and Belle. There wasn't exactly a parking lot nearby, so Henry had pulled into a shaded area. It'd taken Maya, Snow, _and_ Emma to convince Henry that it was ok for his expectant wife to come along. In fact, it was Emma's suggestion that Maya stayed in the car, surrounded by steel. Eventually, Henry relented, though not cheerfully. As an extra safety measure, Maya had brought her own archery set and kept it on her lap as she held down the fort.

Emma was casually sauntering towards the automobile when she heard something stir nearby. "Gina? That you?" There was no response from her partner. "Henry?" Nothing. "Mom? Dad?" Emma's voice got higher in pitch with every possibility that got crossed off. "Belle?" Her legs carried her the rest of the way until she was just meters from the car. The headlights were turned off, but the motor coughed every few seconds. It sounded as if it was in dire need of a tune-up.

Telling herself that nothing was wrong, Emma galloped around the back of the vehicle until she got a better view of Maya. So far, the mother-to-be was still safe. She seemed completely unaware that Emma was standing so close by, which only made the next few seconds much more harrowing.

As she lifted her foot to take a step, something crashed through the trees and attacked Emma, sweeping her off her feet and sent her landing onto a jagged-edged object; an acute stinging formed somewhere in her body. Frantically reaching for something to grab onto, a stick or a rock, Emma found herself staring up at golden eyes less than inches away from her. A long tongue ran over point fangs and hot breath was blown onto Emma's neck. She tried to move, but it was useless; she was pinned to the earth by 110 pounds of pure wolf. Emma was trapped by her own daughter.

* * *

Regina heard the brutal roar, followed by an equally gut-wrenching scream, and immediately charged ahead. It didn't sound like Emma; it was too shrill and it overflowed with pure fear. Her wife rarely yelped and when she did, it wasn't like that. The only other people it could have been were Belle and Maya, and Regina had passed the Aussie already.

Fed up with her slow speed, Regina teleported to where the car had been parked and struggled to remain standing when she stumbled upon the scene. The passenger door was left agape, the overhead light was on, and the seatbelt alert beeped ceaselessly. Maya wasn't in there. There was a crumpled figure on the ground and Regina's heart skipped a beat as she reached the struggling person. Much to her relief it wasn't her daughter, but that same relief vanished as fast as it had arrived. The collapsed form wasn't Maya; it was Emma.

Regina rushed to her wife's side and inspected the woman for injuries. There were no broken bones or gunshot wounds, but there was a tacky substance leaking from Emma's shirt. A steady stream of blood poured from the blonde's side. Emma was conscious and breathing, but it was shallow and fragmented. "Gina, I'm fine," she croaked. "Faith-" The Savior's warning was cut short by a displeased animal behind the trees.

"Mom!" Maya shouted from across the way, her bow aimed over Regina's shoulder. The pregnant hero was certainly a site for sore eyes. With her belly sticking out from her slim form and an arrow pointed high in the sky, Maya redefined the picture of a "woman with child."

At the pace of a turtle, Regina ascended from her crouching stance and turned to face the gigantic creature that was her daughter. "Maya, lower your weapon," the mother instructed calmly, palms in the air. Faith rose onto her hind legs howled up at the source of her being- the moon. Unconcealed by clouds, the spherical planet grinned haughtily at its progeny. The wolf punched at the atmosphere combatively, further intimidating the spectators. "Maya, do as I say," Regina commanded, inferring from Faith's defensive nature that Maya was still directing the arrow at her.

Thanks to Faith's untranslatable message, Henry, David, Snow, and Belle came running to the scene of the crime. All of them petrified where they were, except for Henry; he didn't stop until he was standing in front of Maya, acting as her shield. The Charmings saw Emma in the middle of the of opposing forces, and David lurched forward, but Snow caught his shirt. It wasn't their fight- not yet.

From the corner of the forest, another being ambled into the frame. Red positioned herself behind Faith and made eye-contact with Emma. The Savior may not have been fluent in wolf, but she did understand body language. She caught the slight nod from her friend and took it to mean Red had their backs.

With her hands still in front of her, Regina waved for Faith to look at her. "Sweetie," she said hoarsely. She used every single ounce of her strength to keep her voice from cracking. "Faith, it's Mom. Honey, can you understand me?" Faith's nostrils flared and she growled savagely, causing Regina recoil. "Faith, it's us, your parents. I know you're in there."

"Easy, Gina," Emma advised, still on the ground. She put pressure against her wound, but the bleeding wasn't slowing down. It kept drizzling down her stomach and the pool grew larger and larger with each passing second. Emma's vision was starting to blur, but she remained in an upright position. . She debated with whether or not to break out her secret weapon just yet.

Faith advanced on her brunette mother, one paw at a time, stealthily moving in on her newest victim. The small piece of her that was still there tried to stop her wolf, but it wouldn't listen. The wolf was commanding her movements, Faith was caged in her own body.

Completely defenseless, and standing by her oath not to use magic, Regina was cemented in her spot. A voice in her head was shrieking at her, ordering her to run, but she couldn't move. "Faith, do- do you remember your bedtime story?" Regina asked feebly, her throat closing tighter as she spoke. "It's been wee— weeks since I've told it to you… you've probably forgot— forgotten the details," she stammered. For a moment, it was as if Faith had hesitated and paused briefly. But, it ended before anyone else could see. She went on pursuing her unprotected mother "You- you were a surprise, but you weren't wanted any less than the others," Regina started the same way she always did, "Just like them, you were conceived with magic. We- we thought that's what made you so strong… what made you all so strong. When- when Emma told me you were coming… I was afraid. I- I was scared about- about the price we'd have to pay. As Gold always said, 'Magic comes with a price.'" As she went on, Regina's voice steadied and thickened. The more she said, the slower Faith hunted. This time, everyone noticed. It was if time had slowed down. Regina had veered off of the path of the arc; it wasn't the same nighttime narrative. The opening was verbatim to the other nights, but the rest… it was different.

Regina glanced down at Emma, who was motioning for the brunette to go on. "Don't stop."

The Queen looked back at her ginormous child and swallowed hard. "The first time you kicked, I knew you were going to make it. Your Mom and your brothers and sisters were all convinced you were a girl, but I didn't believe them. I didn't want to believe anything, because if I did- if I got attached, I knew I'd never be able to get through it if something happened to you. I didn't let myself accept that it was real."

The startling glow in Faith's irises dimmed a bit, but she gnashed her teeth once more. "Gina," Emma grumbled. She was slowly deteriorating in front of everyone, and Charming tried to wrestle away from Snow, but his wife wouldn't let go. Just another couple of minutes, she was sure.

"But I was already attached to you, Faith. You grew inside of me, your heart beat because mine did. When you were born, when I held you in my arms for the first time all of that worry was gone. It was. All that mattered was that you were healthy." Faith's ears flopped back at the woman's authenticity, but her wolf was still thirsty for blood, she felt it in her bones. She took another few steps towards the brunette until they were just mere feet apart. Regina saw the strands of dribble that hung from Faith's tongue and braced herself for the bite. "Faith, I'm sorry! I was wrong to ever doubt you and I will spend the rest of my existence working to make it better! It all makes sense. I understand now! The price of our magic isn't that you're a werewolf!" She kept absolutely still, though her volume increased as well as her speed. It was the first time Regina had used the full term. "That's not our retribution; it's who you are and it's who you've always been! Do you hear me, Faith? You are _not_ our price; you're our gift." The wolf lowered her head until she was eye-level with the stranger. Another aggressive rumbling emanated from her open jaws, but this time, Faith directed it at the sky above.

Right there, in front of everyone, an event so rare it'd never been in any books took place. The creature with fur seemed to be battling her herself; Faith backtracked, away from Regina and Emma and began thrashing in the dirt. Twigs and rubble were trampled on and thrown around, causing the onlookers to duck out of harm's way. Faith toppled over and rolled on her back, a raspy wailing shook her body. Her tail was tucked between her legs and the last bit of luminous gold extinguished; her normal eye color returned. Her snout began to shrink until pink skin was detectable. Soon, the rest of her coat shortened and retreated back into her pores, as if her transformation was on rewind. Her family could do nothing but observe helplessly.

When she opened her eyes, Faith saw the stars overhead and she felt the cold ground under her. Her pointed choppers were gone and her blonde curls were caked in moist soil. Gasps from the peanut gallery were audible as Faith attempted to catch her footing. Sturdy hands gripped her shoulder and she was suddenly wrapped in a blanket. "Mom?" Slightly disoriented, Faith frowned at Regina, unsure of what exactly was going on.

"You did it," Regina beamed, tears glistened. "Thanks Gods!" Without any sort of warning, Regina swept Faith into her arms.

But then Faith smelled something; a burning metallic aroma seared her nose. Faith caught sight of Emma, alive but wincing in pain, and cowered away from Regina. "Faith, it's ok," the Savior coughed, "it wasn't you." It was too late, flashes of what had occurred already flickered in Faith's memory and she remembered pouncing on the woman. "Faith, look," Emma revealed her, now mended lesion. "It's all good."

The rest of he group came stampeding into the small arena, flabbergasted at the entire scene. None of them seemed particularly happy. Red, still in wolf-form, emerged from the gloom. Just because she couldn't talk, doesn't mean she couldn't listen. "Maya!" Faith sucked in a breath, alarmed. "Are you all right? The baby-"

"We're fine," the curly-haired woman said, giving her belly a comforting pat. She had dropped her appliance back at the hill, feeling somewhat like a traitor for even thinking of using it. "You didn't hurt us."

"Someone wanna tell us what's going on?" David implored impatiently. "Emma, if you could heal yourself, why the hell didn't you do that before?"

"And scare Faith? Are you crazy?" the blonde parent scoffed. "Don't you think it would've made things worse?"

"Yeah, well you scared the hell out of _us_!" David argued.

"Can you explain how Faith did that?" Snow redirected, in no mood to play referee between her husband and her daughter.

"Yeah, 'cause, uh, what was that?" Henry chirped.

Everyone looked to Faith instantly, unintentionally triggering her nerves. They acted as if she automatically knew the answer, as if she hadn't just been through something rather upsetting. Exposed- literally- and shaken up, the young woman searched for some sort of report. "I- I heard her," she finally said, mostly to Regina. "I heard Mom."

"Come again?" Snow was clearly not following, and she'd witnessed her fair share of the unexplainable. Even Regina seemed unable to offer a theory.

Rightfully so, Faith was uncomfortable with being- not only naked in the woods- but having to form coherent phrases seconds after returning to her human self. But, seeing as how the gawking only worsened, she had no other option but to feed family's investigation. "What she said— about me and… and about magic… I could hear everything."

"So, what, you were in control the whole time?" David probed, his voice hard and absolute.

"N- no, I- I wasn't! You think I'd hurt Ma if I was?" Faith defended in disbelief. The mere thought that David would even accuse her of trying to harm her own mother was utterly outrageous.

"Of course you weren't in control! And I'm fine!" Emma sided with her daughter and resisted flipping David the bird. "But you did it, Faith. You took control!" The amount of pride she held for Faith was indescribable and unmeasurable. It sparked from deep within her and like the Grinch's heart, it grew three sizes in a matter of minutes.

"Ok, just to be clear… Faith can return to her human form without the hood and during a full moon?" Snow interpreted, quite skeptically so. She saw the same bewilderment in Red's face, however fuzzy it was. The wolf shuddered abruptly, but it was meant to be a shrug.

"Could be her magic, or it could be a testament to how strong she really is," Emma praised with nothing but respect for Faith. Her maternal reverence for her daughter's valor lined her words and was evident in her glossed over green spheres. "Either way, she's back."

"All because Mom told you a story…?" Henry questioned, a bit on the fence about the way things had unfolded. He wasn't trying to belittle the incident, he was just trying to understand. That's all everyone wanted; to understand.

Faith shook her head, hugged the blanket tighter around her bare back, thought carefully. She was still in shock, and reasonably so. One minute, she was running around on all fours, hunting for a meal, and the next, she was herself again. It was if she had magical whiplash. Nothing about the night made a lick of sense, but one thing was for sure: Faith _had_ gained control, she definitely didn't do it by herself. "It wasn't just a story," she realized. "It was my story…"


	13. Another Day

The morning after, Faith woke up without any aches or soreness. She wasn't stressed or anxious, and she'd gotten a good 11 hours of sleep. The blonde woman came to life thanks to the birds singing their morning song just outside of the window. The energetic blue skies, with the company of white cotton puffs, served as Faith's mediation. There were no more training sessions to attend, no more secrets- that she knew of- and the self-doubt had lessened substantially.

The frightening memories of the night before had not eluded Faith, but neither did the accomplishments. Her achievement, the prize all of her preparation had earned her was irreplaceable and undiminished. When the family had returned home, in one piece, Dani and the twins caught one look at their sister and they just knew. Faith had been showered in hugs and congratulatory praises, though she felt as if she didn't deserve them. Nevertheless, it was a time of celebration. Faith was sure the rest of the town would know of her feat in a matter of days, and she accepted that. She accepted that this was her life, honestly and truly. It wasn't like when she was at Granny's; she wasn't accepting it because she felt she had to, she was doing it because she finally understood. Everyone had a story, and this just happened to be hers.

As if it were any other morning, the enticing scent of breakfast wafted up the stairs and reminded Faith that she was really home. She took note of the empty beds and smiled to herself; excited mutterings and relaxed laughter came from the kitchen. And, just like she used to, Faith slid down the banister, stuck the landing, and shuffled into the dining room.

The traditional hustle and bustle of the Swan-Mills family was something one would have to witness in person. Each members managed to successfully maneuver around one another, twisted and contorting to avoid spilling drinks and dropping food. Regina and Emma manned the gas stove, watching to make sure everyone was reminded that it was, in fact, quite hot. Dakota and August moved in synchronization with one another, setting plates and silverware at each place. And Dani was putting the finishing touches on a fresh batch of apple cider; it wasn't breakfast without it.

"Anything I can do to help?" Faith squeaked from the doorframe.

As if a bullhorn had been blown, everyone jumped in the air at the sudden appearance of Sleeping Beauty's apprentice. Everyone except for Regina, that is. "Good morning, dear," she greeted in a sing-song voice; she sounded just like she used to. The brunette excused herself from pancake duty long enough to peck Faith's forehead. "Sleep well?"

"I didn't," Dakota humphed. "Looks like someone else inherited Ma's snoring."

"Watch it, Kid. You might find yourself blessed with the same gift someday… with no logical reason why," Emma teased.

"Mom, Ma's threatening to use magic on me," the twin sister whined.

Faith couldn't help but snicker at the scene, the purity of it all. For once, no one seemed to notice or care about her "difference." It wasn't the elephant in the room anymore, it was just a part of everyday life. "You know, uh, you guys don't have to do this. Act normal, I mean."

"Who's acting?" Emma questioned. She had on Regina's apron that read, "Fear the Cook;" it'd been an anniversary gift some years ago. It looked much better on Regina, in Faith's perspective; it was more believable. "Go on, sit down. Food'll be ready in a sec."

As much as she wanted to lend a hand, Faith was still worn out from the night before. Reluctantly, she sat in her usual chair, with her usual decorated plate, and her usual placemat. The rest of the family buzzed around like worker bees, all fixated on their individual tasks. It was odd to Faith, taking a step back. For weeks, she'd been constantly on the go, never slowing down.

When everything was cooked and ready, the rest of the family members took their seats around the table. Opposite of each other, Emma and Regina received the perfect view of their children. Faith, Dani, Dakota, and August all shared bright smiles with one another as if to say they were all totally content with their lives. They had their health, they had a home, and they had each other. What more could anyone want?

For a few minutes, no one reached for any of the food just yet. Every single one of them savored the serenity and beauty of right then. There was no hurry to eat, nowhere to they had to be. The sun was shining on the streets and sparked joy in the residents of Storybrooke. People walked past each other on the sidewalks and waved hospitably as usual. Faith could hear Pongo barking in excitement somewhere on Main Street, and today, it didn't bother her. Her acute senses were no longer a burden or something she was sorry for. It was as if a a button had been pressed and all of her insecurities and anxiety had been diminished. Of course, she was still aware of her differences, but she'd decided not to let them define her. She was too fortunate to think of her life as anything but that: blessed.

Regina folded her hands together and supported her chin as she beamed at her little family. Emma couldn't get enough of her wife's energy, the love that she emitted and the comfort she spread. All that was missing was Henry and Maya, and they had their own little family on her way. Having found pleasure in the way things turned out and having learned to appreciate every moment, Regina simply lifted the platter of bacon and offered it to Faith. "All right," she exhaled, "let's eat up."


	14. Epilogue

After endless hours biting their nails and pacing the floors, the family was put out of their misery. The words, "She's here!" echoed down the linoleum corridors, followed by the fast-paced, stomping of feet. Henry came skittering into the waiting room in blue scrubs and tore of his mask; he wore a smile so big, his face almost broke. "Maya's ok! We're parents!" he cheered.

The entire clan, not just the Swan-Mills, rose out of their chairs and surrounded Henry; claps on the shoulder, hugs, congratulations, and kisses were exchanged as they all greeted the new father. The euphoria that accompanied a new life was all around the tiny room, apparent in the boisterous celebrations; it filled their spirits, a natural intoxication.

"Can we see them?" Dani asked longingly, stuck in the middle of the crowd.

"Yeah, but just three at a time," Henry said. "New rule. Moms." Without missing a beat, Regina and Emma dug their way out of the blob and met their son. "Faith, you too," he beckoned, still breathless from his sprint. "You guys ok with that? You'll get a turn, I swear," he addressed his younger siblings. Dani and the twins nodded quickly and made room for the tall blonde to squeeze through. Henry put a hand on her back and grinned at his sister, "Wanna meet your niece?"

When they got to the room, Maya was propped up against the stiff hospital mattress, a small bundle in her arms. The overhead lights were off, but the shades were opened and a tidal wave of sunlight broke through the slats. They were the perfect spotlight for the newest addition to their growing tribe.

Tired, but elated, Maya couldn't take her eyes off her little girl. Nine months of waiting, and she was finally here. All of the new mother's fears had bubbled to the surface, but so did her passion and adoration. She'd never held such a small person before, but she still knew what to do.

"Guys, meet Malina Faith Swan-Mills," Henry announced eagerly. He carefully lifted his daughter and stuck a pinky in her flailing hands. She wore a pink hat had been given to the infant by the hospital and was swaddled in a matching blanket. Henry brought his child over to his parents and Faith, all of whom were sublimely touched by the sentiment. Regina and Emma hadn't exactly been in the most stable mindset the first time Henry had told them; not enough to fully appreciate it.

"Oh, Henry, she's absolutely beautiful! Just like her mother," Regina exalted. As Henry placed her first grandchild into her arms, she and Emma cooed over the newborn. It'd been a while since they'd been around anyone so young. The last time was with Faith.

"I- I thought she wasn't going to have a middle name," the younger blonde woman stuttered.

"She wasn't," Maya agreed. "But, we wanted her to be called after the strongest women we know; that includes you, Faith." Henry sat at the edge of the bed, and nodded along as he held laced his fingers with Maya; their wedding bands glinted under the rays of the sun.

"Actually, we wanted to name her after her God-mother, too," he hinted. Faith sucked in a breath, now completely speechless. "You know, if you'd be willing."

The small creature under the shroud gurgled quietly and tiny bubbles of spit flowed from her mouth. She had a patch brown hair under her cap, just like Henry. But, when she opened her eyes, everyone knew they were Maya's; bronze, enchanting, endearing. There was a budding indentation in her chin, and Emma had a guess as to where she'd gotten that. Malina already had the rest of the room's devotion and she was less than an hour old.

"So, what do you think, Faith?" Maya smirked hopefully. "How does being a God-mother sound to you?"

"Do you wanna hold her?" Regina asked her daughter, who's lips moved but no sound escaped.

Faith had zoned out after she heard what her brother and sister had told her. It all felt too surreal for any of it to be true. Did Henry and Maya really think she was that strong? Sure, she hadn't lost control over the last three full moons. There was no sign of her having any usable magic or powers, which also decreased the risk in her mind. But, there was still so much for her to learn. She didn't want to jinx anything.

Before she could protest, Faith found herself clutching her niece, suddenly deathly afraid that she'd drop her. "Wait- I—" but she cut herself off when she realized Malina was staring intently at the her, and eventually, smiling. Missing teeth and a curious tongue made the infant's expression all the more heartwarming. It was as if she was saying, "Hey, I know you." Henry and Maya had made it a point to talk to her in the womb, and they brought up Faith pretty often.

"I think someone loves their aunt," Henry observed.

Malina threw an empty fist into the air and started fussing, but soon calmed down once Faith gave her a finger to grip. In seconds, the baby had fallen asleep. "Ok," Faith finally said as she peered down at the vulnerable soul in her embrace. "I'll do it," she told the new parents. "I- I'd be honored to be her God-mother." Henry and Maya broke out in infectious gaiety and let Faith have a little more time with Malina. Emma hugged Regina at her waist and set her chin in the crook of her neck; the mothers couldn't stop watching the interaction. With a multitude of emotions bubbling within her, Faith leaned forward and kissed her God-daughter gingerly. "Welcome to the family, Malina."

* * *

**A/N** - And that's a wrap on "The Price of Magic!" Thanks so much for all of your great reviews/follows/favorites! I hope you all enjoyed the story! By the looks of it, you all liked "We'll Always Have Storybrooke." I'll try and update that **ASAP**, but there's also another short story (I promise, it's short) in the works that may or may not include a familiar face ;-) Thanks again, dearies! You're all awesome!


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